Epson to End All Laser Printer Sales by 2026

(Photo: Raysonho @ Open Grid Scheduler/Wikimedia Commons)Epson, the Japanese hardware company best known for its printers is closing its laser printer division because of sustainability concerns. The company quietly announced that it will cease selling laser printer hardware until 2026. The company will instead focus on its more environmentally-friendly inkjet printers, according to a statement obtained by The Register. Although it stopped selling laser printers to the United States some time back, the company maintained the product line in other markets including Europe and Asia. Although consumers will not be able to buy new Epson laser printers starting in 2026, Epson promises to support existing customers with spare parts and supplies.

Epson claims that their inkjets use 85 percent less energy than its laser units and emit 85 percent less carbon dioxide. While these numbers may not matter to people who print only occasionally, they offer businesses and nonprofits a way to reduce their carbon footprint and energy consumption.

Inkjets require less single-use resources. Inkjets use only ink and waste ink boxes, whereas laser printers depend on toner, fusers and developer. Inkjet printers not only produce 60 percent less ewaste than laser printers but also use a lot less oil to make one cartridge.

The decision to end all laser printer sales is likely a part of Epson’s “Environmental Vision 2050,” a circular economic model the company first committed to in 2018 and revised last year. Its biggest focus is Epson’s promise to become carbon-negative and “underground resource free” by 2050.

That said, inkjet printers aren’t the definitive solution to sustainable printing that Epson would like consumers to believe them to be. Inkjet cartridges are quick to dry, so some printer users end up using more ink. Inkjet printing can be more expensive per page. This means that the energy savings achieved by getting rid of a printer could just be offset by increased usage. Epson was also in trouble recently when it forced some printer owners to visit an authorized repair facility to repair their suddenly-broken machines. Some Epson L360, L130, L220, L310, and L365 users even have to replace their machines altogether, which only puts more money in Epson’s pocket while producing seemingly unnecessary e-waste.

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