How harmful are printers to the environment? Paper, energy, toner, emissions & lifespan fact-checked
Printers consume electricity, paper, ink or toner and are themselves made from plastics, metals and electronics. Even so, saying “printers are inherently harmful to the environment” would be too simplistic. What matters is the entire lifecycle: How was the device manufactured? How much is printed? What kind of paper is used? How long does the printer remain in service? Can it be repaired – and what happens to the device and its consumables at the end?
- Paper is often one of the biggest environmental factors: Print volume, paper type and duplex printing can significantly affect the overall footprint.
- A long-lasting printer is often better than replacing one too quickly: Manufacturing, raw materials and transporting a new device also create environmental impacts.
- Energy still matters: Particularly for regularly used devices, electricity consumption, standby modes and good power management are important.
- Laser, ink or tank: There is no universal environmental winner. The best technology depends on the actual usage profile.
- Do not exaggerate emissions: Laser printers can emit particles and volatile substances. According to the German Environment Agency, however, there is no sufficiently clear evidence that printers cause disease in humans.
- Consumables are part of the lifecycle: Remanufacturing and effective take-back systems can conserve resources.
- Blue Angel: Since 2026, DE-UZ 239 has introduced a new generation of criteria for particularly environmentally friendly printers and multifunction devices.
1. The environmental impact begins long before the first printed page
When people think about sustainable printing, they often think first of electricity or toner cartridges. Both are important – but they are only part of the overall picture.
A printer creates environmental impacts during several phases:
A device with low electricity consumption may still perform poorly overall if it is replaced too early, requires large amounts of consumables or produces unnecessarily high quantities of printed paper.
2. Paper: an often underestimated environmental factor
For printers that are used regularly, paper consumption can account for a significant share of the environmental impact of the entire printing system.
Paper requires raw materials, energy and water during production. Transport, printing and subsequent disposal or recycling must also be taken into account.
The simplest environmental measure: use less paper
Duplex printing
Printing on both sides can significantly reduce paper consumption for suitable documents.
Digital review
Check documents on screen before printing instead of printing several corrected versions.
2 pages on 1 sheet
Often perfectly sufficient for internal documents, training materials or drafts.
Print only the pages you need
For long PDFs, select specific page ranges rather than printing the entire document.
Recycled paper instead of virgin-fibre paper
The German Environment Agency recommends recycled paper carrying the Blue Angel. For these graphic papers, the paper fibres come from 100 percent recovered paper.
According to current information from the German Environment Agency, producing recycled paper can save around 70 percent energy and up to 80 percent water compared with virgin-fibre paper.
Suitable recycled copier paper can generally be used without problems in most modern laser and inkjet printers. Pay attention to the paper weight and paper types approved by the device manufacturer.
3. Manufacturing and raw materials: the invisible part of the environmental footprint
A modern printer consists of numerous materials and components:
- plastic housings,
- metal frames and shafts,
- motors and gears,
- circuit boards and electronic components,
- power supplies, displays and sensors,
- and, in laser printers, components such as fuser and imaging units.
The raw materials for all these components must be extracted, processed, transported and assembled.
This is exactly why a functioning device should not be replaced solely because a newer model consumes slightly less electricity or is promoted with an “Eco” label.
“Can the existing printer still be used sensibly or repaired?”
4. Lifespan: when should a printer really be replaced?
A printer that works reliably does not need to be replaced prematurely for environmental reasons alone.
Manufacturing and transporting a new device also cause environmental impacts. Repair and longer use may therefore be the more sensible option.
Continuing to use the printer makes sense when:
- the device works reliably,
- replacement parts and wear parts are still available,
- its energy consumption is appropriate for the way it is used,
- drivers and security updates are still available,
- the device matches the actual print volume.
Replacement may make sense when:
- frequent faults occur,
- important replacement parts are no longer available,
- energy consumption is exceptionally high,
- security or software support is missing,
- the device is substantially over- or undersized for actual use.
5. Power consumption: operation is only one part – standby can last for many hours
Energy consumption differs considerably depending on printing technology and device size.
Laser printers require energy particularly while printing to permanently fuse the toner to the paper in the fuser unit. Inkjet printers use a different process and do not require a thermal fuser unit.
In everyday use, however, it is also important how long a device remains in standby or network mode.
New EU requirements since 2025
Since 9 May 2025, EU Regulation 2023/826 on off mode, standby mode and networked standby has applied to numerous electrical household and office devices.
Among other things, it sets low limits for electricity consumption in these modes for covered devices and requires functions for automatically switching into energy-saving states.
For standard networked equipment, a limit of 2 watts generally applies in networked standby; special rules apply to certain equipment classes.
What users can configure themselves
- Activate sleep/energy-saving mode,
- set a sensible shorter delay before entering sleep mode,
- switch the device off at night or at weekends if remote printing is not needed,
- avoid permanently enabled network functions that are not required,
- compare real consumption data when buying a new device.
6. Laser, ink or tank: which printer is the most environmentally friendly?
The simple answer is: There is no universal environmental winner.
A meaningful assessment must match the actual printing profile.
| Technology | Potential strength | Environmentally relevant factors |
|---|---|---|
| Laser printer | Toner does not dry out even after long periods without use; high document-printing performance is possible. | Fusing requires energy; toner cartridges and additional wear parts are part of the material footprint. |
| Inkjet with cartridges | Often lower energy demand during the actual printing process. | Cleaning cycles, small cartridges and long periods of inactivity can affect ink consumption. |
| Ink tank printer | Large ink reservoirs can reduce the number of individual cartridge housings. | The benefit is greatest with long-term use and sufficiently high print volumes. |
A device should therefore not be selected based on a single characteristic, but on actual print volume, lifespan, consumables and maintenance requirements.
7. Laser printers, fine particles and indoor air: how great is the risk really?
Laser printers and fine particles have been a controversial topic for many years.
Electrophotographic printing can release fine and ultrafine particles as well as volatile organic compounds. Emission levels differ depending on the device, age, design and operating state.
At the same time, it is important not to exaggerate the health significance.
What makes sense in everyday use?
- Prefer low-emission devices when buying a new printer.
- Where possible, place large and heavily used printing systems in separate areas.
- Maintain devices regularly in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications.
- Avoid damaged cartridges or exposed toner.
- Ensure normal room ventilation when printing large volumes.
A general recommendation such as “keep one or two metres away” cannot be derived from official assessments. Device size, print volume, room size and emission class are more important.
8. Toner, ink and cartridges: what belongs in the environmental footprint?
Consumables are more than just toner or ink. Cartridges may consist of plastic, metal, seals, gears and electronic components.
It therefore matters whether a cartridge is completely replaced after just one usage cycle or whether suitable components can be used again.
Original, Rebuilt, Refill or New-Built?
For environmental assessment, it is not sufficient simply to distinguish between “original” and “compatible”.
- Rebuilt / Remanufactured: A used cartridge is professionally remanufactured.
- Refill: An existing cartridge is refilled.
- New-Built compatible: A newly manufactured third-party cartridge.
- New OEM product: A newly manufactured cartridge from the printer manufacturer.
9. Take-back, ReUse and recycling: what happens after the last page?
An empty cartridge can take several different paths.
- Return and sorting
- Assessment for reusability
- Remanufacturing where technically appropriate
- Material recovery where ReUse is not possible
- Disposal only for residual materials that cannot be recovered
It is therefore important to distinguish between the following: take-back, reuse and recycling are not the same thing.
10. Blue Angel 2026: new criteria for more environmentally friendly printers
The Blue Angel is particularly interesting for printers because it does not consider just one environmental factor.
In 2026, a new generation of criteria was published for printers and multifunction devices: DE-UZ 239.
The criteria take into account, among other things:
- low energy consumption,
- low emissions,
- noise requirements,
- design suitable for recycling,
- material selection,
- minimum proportions of recycled plastics.
Applications for DE-UZ 239 can be submitted from January 2027. During the transition period, the older generation of criteria for office equipment with printing functions continues to exist.
11. The most important measures for more sustainable printing
What really makes sense in everyday use
- Print only what is actually needed.
- Set duplex printing as the default.
- Use recycled paper carrying the Blue Angel.
- Use the printer sensibly for as long as possible instead of replacing it simply because a newer model exists.
- Check whether defects can be repaired first.
- Activate energy-saving mode and avoid unnecessarily long standby periods.
- Select a device that matches the print volume.
- Evaluate consumables based on yield and quality rather than just unit price.
- Collect empty cartridges separately and send them to suitable take-back systems.
- When buying a new printer, consider repairability, replacement parts, energy consumption and environmental labels.
Replacing a functioning device with a new “Eco” model without taking manufacturing and lifespan into account. Sustainability is not created by low wattage figures alone.
12. Checklist: what should you look for when buying your next printer?
Appropriate size
The device should match the realistic monthly print volume.
Duplex
Automatic duplex printing often saves paper in everyday use.
Energy
Compare consumption figures during operation, sleep mode and network operation.
Lifespan
Check maintenance kits, wear parts and repair options.
Consumables
Consider page yield, cartridge size and take-back options.
Environmental labels
The Blue Angel can provide useful guidance.
Drivers & updates
Long-term software and security support extends the practical service life.
Paper
Check whether recycled paper and standard office paper weights are supported without problems.
Conclusion: the most environmentally friendly printer is rarely simply the newest one
A printer’s environmental impact cannot be reduced to electricity consumption, toner or fine particles alone.
What matters is the interaction between paper consumption, device lifespan, energy, consumables, repairability and effective take-back systems.
For many users, the biggest improvements therefore do not come from immediately buying a new printer, but from using the existing device more intelligently:
- fewer unnecessary printouts,
- duplex printing and recycled paper,
- sensible energy-saving settings,
- long device lifespans,
- repair instead of premature replacement,
- suitable, high-quality consumables,
- return instead of unchecked disposal.
FAQ: Printers and the environment
Are printers inherently bad for the environment?
Like other electrical devices, printers create environmental impacts through manufacturing, raw materials, electricity, paper, consumables and disposal. How large these impacts are depends heavily on the device, print volume, lifespan and usage.
What is the biggest environmental factor when printing?
In regularly used printing systems, paper can account for a very large share of the environmental impact. That is why fewer printouts, duplex printing and recycled paper are particularly effective measures.
Is a laser printer or an inkjet printer more environmentally friendly?
There is no universal answer. Print volume, periods of inactivity, energy consumption, lifespan, cleaning cycles, consumables and actual page yield must all be considered together.
Should I replace an old printer with a more energy-efficient device?
Not automatically. Manufacturing and transporting a new device also create environmental impacts. Replacement is more worth considering if the existing device fails frequently, is exceptionally inefficient or can no longer be sensibly maintained and operated safely.
Is recycled paper suitable for laser and inkjet printers?
Suitable recycled copier paper can generally be used without problems. Paper type and weight should remain within the specifications defined by the printer manufacturer.
Are laser printers harmful to health because of fine particles?
Laser printers can emit particles and volatile substances. According to the German Environment Agency, however, there is no sufficiently clear evidence of diseases in humans caused by printers. Modern low-emission devices further reduce exposure.
What is the benefit of energy-saving mode?
Printers often spend significantly more time in standby than in actual printing operation. A properly configured sleep or energy-saving mode therefore reduces unnecessary continuous power consumption.
Are remanufactured toner cartridges more sustainable?
Professionally remanufactured cartridges can conserve resources because existing housings and components are used again. The actual environmental impact also depends on quality, page yield, transport and the remanufacturing process.
What does Blue Angel DE-UZ 239 mean?
DE-UZ 239 is the new generation of criteria published in 2026 for more environmentally friendly printers and multifunction devices. It includes requirements relating to energy consumption, emissions, materials and design suitable for recycling. Applications can be submitted from January 2027.
How should I dispose of empty toner cartridges and ink cartridges?
Empty modules should preferably be collected separately and returned through suitable manufacturer, retailer, ReUse or municipal take-back systems. This makes it possible to determine whether remanufacturing or material recovery is feasible.
Sources & further information
- German Environment Agency: Guide to environmentally friendly public procurement – office equipment with printing functions
- German Environment Agency: Recycled paper is good for the environment
- German Environment Agency: Laser printers with the Blue Angel – emissions and health assessment
- Blue Angel: Environmentally friendly printers and multifunction devices – DE-UZ 239, 2026 edition
- EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2023/826 – off mode, standby mode and networked standby
- German Environment Agency: Studies and testing methods for fine and ultrafine particles from office equipment with printing functions.
Updated: 31 August 2026. Environmental impacts differ depending on the device, print volume, paper, consumables and period of use. Individual technical values should therefore always be assessed on the basis of the specific model and a realistic usage scenario.
