BIC responded to my email – just took a while to put in on here:

Thank you for your recent communication. We are sorry to hear of your experience with BIC pens.

At BIC, quality is uppermost in our minds. When one of our products does not meet the consumer’s expectations, we appreciate being made aware of it.

Without an examination of the pens you wrote of, we cannot offer any explanation for your experience. If the subject pens are still available, we ask that you return them to us so that our Quality Assurance Department may examine them in an effort to determine the cause.

Pursuant to the BIC Performance Policy, upon our receipt of the subject pens we will be happy to send replacement products and offset any postage fees you may incur in returning the aforementioned items. Please send the pens to: BIC Inc., 155 Oakdale Road, Toronto, Ontario, M3N 1W2.

Thank you for taking the time to bring this matter to our attention. We look forward to hearing from you with this additional information.

MY RESPONSE:

Hi.

I did not have a bad experience with my Crystal BIC pens. I’ve had them for years. The just ran out of ink, like all pens do after a while. And I’m sorry, but you didn’t answer my questions or acknowledged my suggestions.

I HAD ASKED:

- If you sell refills for BIC Crystal pens (not the new Crystal Clic), and other pens you have:

Like I said in my last email, I have 3 blue pens, 3 black, and 1 red. I want to keep 1 of each colour (it’s all I need) and just keep buying the refills. As for the other pens (which would now be 2 blue and 2 black), I would like to buy refills for those ones too and donate the pens and refills to an organization.

It’d be better for the environment: selling refillable pens would cost less to manufacture, use less water and energy, make less emissions and pollution, save valuable resources, and help reduce this serious threat that is global warming.

- If your BIC Crystal pens (and other pens) are recyclable:

Being able to recycle them would mean less waste going to already overflowing, expanding and multiplying landfills (pens might be small, but when millions of pens are thrown out, it makes an impact). Also, being able to recycle them would provide recyclers with materials with which they can make other products with, instead of using raw materials. I heard that we don’t have enough stuff that gets recycled to make 100% recycled and 100% post-consumer products. So why not do your part and help with this problem?

I HAD SUGGESTED:

- Making your products and packaging with 100% recycled and 100% post-consumer recycled materials. It uses products already used by consumers, then recycled and re-made into something new instead of using new materials, therefore, again, would cost less to manufacture, use less water and energy, make less emissions and pollution, save valuable resources, and help reduce this serious threat that is global warming.

- Using environment-friendly ink, like natural, toxic-free, vegetable-based ink.

- New suggestion: Use packaging made with fibrous plants other than trees to help save our precious trees. Ex. of fibrous plants: Kenaf, hemp, bamboo, flax, cotton, etc.

Thank you for your help.

WAS THAT TOO HARSH?

No response to that one.

Better for the environment. Even if they’re small, so many non-refillable pens are being thrown out. I’m not even sure if pens are recyclable (even if they are, reduce, reuse before recycle), but I put them in the recycle box anyways – now I won’t have to, I will use refillable ones when my other pens run out of ink. They make an impact on the environment just the same.

Refillable pens that I saw at Grand & Toy, in Ottawa:

• Sheaffer
• Papermate
• Pilot
• BeGreen
• Cross
• Parker
• Water Man
• Uni Ball
• Zebra
• Itoya

I looked for BIC refillable pens (I have like 7 or 8 old BIC Crystal pens – I don’t even remember where they came from). I wanted to buy the refills, but didn’t see any (and I know that they can be refilled, because I can removed the little ink container inside the pen and put it back in). So when I got home, I sent an email to BIC asking/suggesting them this:

I have old pens at home and I was wondering if they are refillable. I know that the little ink container can be removed; I�ve done it, so I imagine refills could be sold. I have 3 blue pens, 3 black, and 1 red. I am thinking of keeping 1 of each colour (it�s all I need) and just keep buying the refills (if you do sell refills, if not, I suggest you do. Also, are the pens recyclable? Or even other pens that you have, are they recyclable?). For the other pens that I have, I was thinking of buying the refills and donating all of them (I don�t see the point of throwing them out when they are still good and when somebody could use them).

Do you have other pens that are refillable? If not, why not? Why not make refillable pens that are better for the environment. Selling refillable pens would cost less to manufacture, use less water and energy, make less emissions and pollution, save valuable resources, and help reduce this serious threat that is global warming.

Other suggestions: Also make your products with 100% post-consumer recycled materials. That would be great. It uses products already used by consumers, then recycled and re-made into something new instead of using new materials, therefore, again, would cost less to manufacture, use less water and energy, make less emissions and pollution, save valuable resources, and help reduce this serious threat that is global warming. And how about also using environment-friendly ink? If you aren�t already.

Thanks for your help. It is greatly appreciated.

They haven’t responded yet.