Life-cycle inventory of toner produced for xerographic processes

This paper reports on the methodology and results of a baseline life-cycle inventory (LCI) performed on toner used in the xerographic process. Toner is the dry ink that creates the image on paper and is used in most copiers and some large printers. The goal is to perform an LCI on a system that encompasses the life-cycle of toner in order to determine the environmental effects related to the product. The findings of the study show that the system is mainly a classical “cradle to grave” model, although recycle streams within the system improve the overall environmental performance. The majority of the solid process waste produced (95%) is associated with post-toner production processes, and the majority of the air emissions in the system resulted from energy use. Post-production processes combine for just over 85% of the total energy used in the system, with customer use accounting for 58% of the total.