Epson to End All Laser Printers Sales by 2026

(Photo: Raysonho @ Open Grid Scheduler/Wikimedia Commons)Epson, the Japanese hardware giant best known for their printers, has decided to end its laser printer division. This is due to sustainability concerns. The company quietly decided to discontinue selling laser printer hardware in 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 its inkjets produce 85 percent less CO2 than laser units, and are up to 85 per cent more efficient than their laser units. While these numbers may not be of much importance to people who print only occasionally, they offer businesses and non-profits a way to reduce their carbon footprint and increase their energy consumption.

Inkjets often require fewer single-use materials. Laser printers require toner, fusers or developer and other disposable parts. Inkjets only use ink and a waste ink box. 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 has been in serious trouble for forcing printer users to visit an authorized technician to repair their damaged 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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