» Printer Cartridge Recycling Guide
Our free-to-use UK Empty Printer Cartridge Service accepts many ink and toner cartridges for reuse (which is a much better use of energy and resources than recycling), to help the environment and raise funds for our three partner charities.
Unfortunately, not all cartridges are reusable. Such non-reusable cartridges cannot raise money for our charities, and must not be sent to us.
This guide will give you suggestions for services that offer proper environmentally-responsible recycling of non-reusable cartridges, many of which are free.
1. Return to Manufacturer
Many cartridge manufacturers have take-back schemes that will accept cartridges that they manufactured in order to responsibly dispose of or reuse them.
This is the best destination for any non-reusable cartridges, as they made the cartridges, and know best how to recycle them. However, they give no money to charities for their services, so if you have any reusable cartridges in future, please send those to us.
Epson
Epson's free service collects most of their ink and laser cartridges.
N.B. You are not required to tick the box that says that your details can be used for marketing.
Hewlett Packard (HP)
This free service allows you to return most laserjet and inkjet cartridges that were made by HP.
Lexmark
Lexmark's service collects most of their ink and laser cartridges.
N.B. If requesting ink cartridge return bags, you are not required to tick the box that says that your details can be used for marketing.
Canon
Canon currently only accepts return of a limited range of their toner cartridges. If, as we believe, you think they should offer a full, free takeback service for all toner cartridges, and for their ink cartridges, please provide feedback to them on this page.
Brother
Brother runs a free postal service for returning cartridges.
N.B. You are not required to tick the box saying that Brother may contact you in the future.
Dell
Dell offers a postal return service for their ink and toner cartridges. Please contact Dell by email on Recycling_EMEA@dell.com
Samsung
Samsung take back their toner cartridges.
Xerox
Offer free postal return for most of their cartridges.
Konica Minolta
Accept returns of cartridges for some of their printers and office systems.
Oki
Oki offer a freepost service for low volumes of returns, and a collection service for more high-volume users.
Kyocera Mita
Accept return of their own genuine cartridges by a FREEPOST address.
Sharp
I'm afraid Sharp do not run a recycling service that we know of. If you would like to contact them about this, please do so on this page.
Neopost
I'm afraid Neopost do not run a recycling service that we know of. If you would like to contact them about this, please do so on this page.
Kodak
I'm afraid Kodak do not run a recycling service that we know of. If you would like to contact them about this, please email them at KodakOnlineShop@kodak.co.uk.
Toshiba
Toshiba offer a subsidised recycling service, in the form of their ECO BOX product. Please contact your Toshiba Supplier for details of this.
Ricoh
Ricoh offer a paid-for service via eRECO to recycle your print consumables. This service will take any toner cartridges. Visit them here.
2. Return to Your Cartridge Supplier
Some suppliers of cartridges will offer to take back the empties - please ask your supplier to see if this is something they can offer you.
3. Council Amenity Site
Many local council civic amenity and recycling service sites have cartridge collection facilities that will take any kind of cartridge. These are normally free.