The City of Los Angeles is considering a bold step in the global effort to address the environmental challenges posed by plastic waste. Building on the city’s longstanding commitment to sustainability, Councilmember John Lee introduced a motion that would prohibit the distribution and sale of aftermarket single-use clone compatible printer cartridges in Los Angeles. Single-use clone compatible printer cartridges are “knock-offs” or “counterfeit cartridges” that are primarily manufactured overseas and are a significant but often overlooked contributor to environmental waste and pollution. An estimated 70% of printer cartridges end up in landfills, with clone compatible cartridges making up the majority.
“It is incumbent upon the City of Los Angeles to continue paving the way forward on environmental issues,” said Councilmember John Lee. “As the representative of the community in which the Sunshine Canyon Landfill is located, I fully recognize the importance of minimizing the impact of waste on our neighborhoods. Banning aftermarket clone cartridges is a simple way to keep building on our environmental achievements and bring attention to an issue that has gone unaddressed for too long.”
In a statement about the potential ban, Sean Levi, founder and CEO of Planet Green, a Chatsworth-based company at the forefront of ink cartridge remanufacturing, said, “It is crucial for the City of Los Angeles to lead the charge in banning aftermarket compatible printer cartridges. Chatsworth was once the center of the printer cartridge remanufacturing industry, providing jobs for thousands of Angelenos. Now, compatible printer cartridges have decimated this once-thriving circular economy and are contributing to the global plastic waste crisis.”
Since 2013, Los Angeles has led by example with pioneering ordinances designed to curb single-use plastics. Key measures include the successful implementation of the single-use carryout bag ban and the ban on expanded polystyrene products. This new initiative is expected to reduce the number of cartridges ending up in landfills, encourage recycling and reuse, decrease public exposure to hazardous materials, and potentially inculcate other governments to follow suit. This motion will be heard by the City Council’s committee on Energy and Environment.
