How can I reuse or recycle inkjet printer cartridges?

An assortment of printer cartridgesI suspect this is another recycle rather than reuse thing but again, I’m not sure how to go about recycling them.

Until recently, we didn’t have a printer at home and when I was at work, there was a helpful box in reception or the photocopying room that mystically took away my old ink/toner cartridges and turned them into money or unicorns or something.

As my description of the work-recycling process might indicate, I don’t know where those cartridges ended up so now we have a printer at home, I have a couple of cartridges and don’t know what to do with them. We’ve got a HP black and white laser printer and an Epson colour one (both second- or third- hand, I might add).

A quick search turns up a variety of options but aside from Oxfam who I suspect aren’t lying, I don’t know if the companies do with the money/cartridges as they say they will. And what about the Epson ink cartridges that Oxfam can’t take?

Any suggestions?

Best Suggestions

  • Recycle: As I said above, there are lots and lots of places that take cartridges for recycling. Some of them generate money for the person who donates the cartridges but most give that money to charity. Maximise that amount for charity by giving to them direct – most major charities in the UK have schemes, for example the Oxfam one linked above or the British Heart Foundation.
  • See the comments below for more suggestions and ideas

(Photo by aarenyes)

Related Categories

household, items, office

Search for other related items



76 Responses to “How can I reuse or recycle inkjet printer cartridges?”


  1. I have tons of brother cartriges. How can i recycle them?

  2. Tom Lucas says:

    Recycle with the British Red Cross. Donate your old mobile phones and printer cartridges and generate up to £30 to help us be there for people in crisis. Visit http://www.recross.org.uk/recycle for more information or to order a freepost envelope.

  3. Visit http://www.sellthatmobile.com to recycle your mobilephones, get up to £300, paid within 48 hours anf free postage.

  4. Nicholas Owen says:

    Does anyone know where I can send my epson ink cartridges.

    I have about 50 of them in total but nowhere I can find will except them.

    They are all original Epson TO771, TO772, TO773 and TO774.

    If anyone has any ideas let me know please.
    nick3lords@btinternet.com

  5. Daniall says:

    i think you can get Remanufactured Ink Cartridges easily from market which you will get online at discount price.. It might be help you both time and money… What say???

    -Daniall

  6. Cathy says:

    I am looking for a place to recycle toner cartridges and ink cartridges. These have already been remanufactured once. The only information I am finding on the web will take only the orginal HP, or other brand name cartridges. So what do we do with ones that have already been remanufactured.



Leave a Reply to Daniall

Your name
Your email (it will not be published. If you want people to contact you, leave your email address in the message too.)
Your website (if you've got one)