The Inkless Printer: PrePeat

When cell phone chargers started piling up in landfills, companies went the eco-friendly route and switched to USB universal chargers. Environmental Office Solutions shows that e-waste, like ink cartridges, is taking up more and more space each year.

One company is making a step forward to cut down on that statistic. Based in Japan, SANWA has created a printing machine that can print on reusable copy paper. Not only that, but it will do so without using an ink cartridge.

The PrePeat printer uses a combo of specialized reusable paper and a high-intensity heating device to print at a resolution of 203 dpi (dots per inch) according to the website. It's like an Etch-a-sketch. You can tweek the design all you want, and it is still a simple process to change the overall look at any point. Only, you can't shake the paper to clear it off and the images will wont degrade over the number of uses.

Among the laundry list of improvements over the standard printing machine, like waterproof paper and improved hygenics, SANWA also boasts a savings of up to 666,000 yen a year. That ominous number rounds out to about $7,400 a year.

Christen da Costa of Gadget Review said, "...this might not only be a way to appease the Eco Nazis, but your company’s CFO as well."

Although this product is mainly being solicited mainly to big companies that run through printed paper on a frequent basis, Mathew of Gadget Venue believes that good sales will promote the production of a home version.