Charity recycles printer cartridges for heart research

By Simon Aughton

Posted on 12 Apr 2006 at 11:03

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has launched a new recycling initiative that will raise funds for vital heart research

The programme seeks to turn the 150 million laser cartridges used every year in the UK into cash. The BHF will receive £1 for every recyclable printer cartridge donated to the scheme.

The BHF notes that improvements in the quality of printers and increased use of digital photography has lead to a significant increase in the use of printer cartridges, most of which are thrown away and dumped in landfill sites.

'We need to raise £50mn a year on life-saving heart research - that's £95 every minute of every day,' said Douglas Campbell Rouse, head of Corporate Fundraising at the BHF. 'If just a fraction of the laser cartridges used each year by offices across the country are turned into funds for the British Heart Foundation it will make a huge difference to the millions of vulnerable men, women and children.'

To make donating as easy as possible, Environmental Business Products is offering UK businesses free collection for all recyclable cartridges; call (freephone) 0800 435576 to arrange collection.

For more information about the scheme go to www.inkagain.co.uk.