If you've searched for "ink cartridge recycling near me" and found yourself going in circles, you're not alone. Used ink cartridges are one of the most commonly discarded items in UK homes and offices — and yet most people aren't sure where or how to recycle them properly. The good news is that there are several genuinely free options available across the UK, and the easiest one doesn't require you to leave the house at all.
Can You Put Ink Cartridges in Your Recycling Bin?
No — ink cartridges cannot go in your household kerbside recycling. They're made from a combination of hard plastics, metal components, and residual ink that requires specialist processing. Putting them in your general waste bin sends them to landfill, where a single cartridge can take up to 1,000 years to decompose, leaching chemicals into the surrounding soil and groundwater as it breaks down.
They need to be recycled properly — and fortunately, that's easier than most people realise.
The Easiest Option: Recycle by Post for Free
For most people in the UK, the most convenient way to recycle ink cartridges is by post — at no cost. At Crazy Kangaroo, we offer a free Freepost ink cartridge recycling service for genuine HP and Canon cartridges. You can download a free return label instantly, pack your empty cartridges into a padded envelope or small box, and drop it in any Royal Mail postbox. No trip to a shop, no charge, no minimum quantity.
If you order genuine HP or Canon ink from us, we'll automatically include a free prepaid recycling bag with your delivery — so you don't even need to print a label. Just fill the bag with your empties when they're done and drop it in the post.
This service is available across the UK, including Jersey and Guernsey, as well as in France and Germany.
Other Ways to Recycle Ink Cartridges Near You
Local household recycling centres
Most local councils accept ink cartridges at their household waste recycling centres (sometimes called tips or recycling centres). This is a practical option if you're already making a trip with other items. It's worth checking your local council's website before heading out, as acceptance varies by area and not every site takes cartridges. For small quantities, the Freepost option is usually more convenient.
Retail drop-off points
Some high street retailers have historically offered in-store cartridge collection bins — Tesco, Currys, and Staples have all run schemes at various points. Availability changes frequently and varies significantly by location, so always check ahead before making a special journey. Given that free Freepost recycling is available from home, retail drop-off is mainly useful if you're already passing a participating store.
Not Recycling HP or Canon Inkjet Cartridges?
Our free Freepost recycling service covers genuine HP and Canon inkjet cartridges. If you're looking to recycle something different, here's where to go.
HP Laser Toner Cartridges
Toner cartridges are quite different from inkjet cartridges — they're larger, heavier, and typically used in laser printers found in offices and workplaces rather than home inkjet printers. If you're not sure which you have, toner cartridges are usually solid black or coloured blocks roughly the size of a thick paperback book, and they contain a fine dry powder rather than liquid ink.
HP toner cartridges are not covered by our inkjet recycling scheme. HP operates its own toner recycling programme through hp.com, where you can find return options for laser toner supplies.
Canon Toner Cartridges
Like HP toner, Canon laser toner cartridges are large, cylindrical or block-shaped cartridges designed for office laser printers rather than home inkjet models. These are not covered by our recycling service. Canon's official toner recycling programme is available at canon.co.uk/about-us/recycling/toner.
Epson Ink Cartridges
We don't currently accept Epson inkjet cartridges in our scheme. Epson operates its own cartridge recycling programme, which you can access at epson-recycling.cycleon.eu.
Brother Ink Cartridges
Brother inkjet cartridges are not covered by our service. Brother's recycling programme is available at brother.co.uk/recycling.
Lexmark Ink Cartridges
Lexmark cartridges are not part of our recycling service. Lexmark's own return and recycling programme is available at lexmark.com.
Can I Donate Cartridges to Charity or Get Money Back?
Both are common searches, so it's worth being straightforward about them.
Some charity schemes have historically collected used cartridges as a fundraising mechanism, but these programmes have become increasingly scarce as cartridge recycling economics have shifted. If you want to support a charity through your printing habits, the most reliable approach is to check directly with charities you already support rather than assuming a local scheme exists.
As for getting money back for cartridges — some buyback services do exist online, but they typically only accept certain high-value cartridges in bulk, pay very modest amounts, and often have conditions that make the process more effort than it's worth. We don't offer a cash-back scheme, and our honest view is that the free Freepost option is simpler and more reliable for most people. If you're looking to save money on ink, signing up to our newsletter gets you a discount code for your first order — which is likely to save you more than any cartridge buyback would.
Why Recycling Ink Cartridges Actually Matters
Around 375 million ink and toner cartridges are thrown away every year globally, with the majority going to landfill. Each one is a combination of engineering-grade plastics, aluminium, copper, and residual ink — all materials that can be recovered and reused if handled correctly.
When cartridges are properly recycled, the plastics are granulated and used in new products, metals are recovered and remelted, and residual ink is safely processed rather than left to leach into the environment. In some cases, cartridges in good condition are refurbished and reused entirely — the most resource-efficient outcome of all. Genuine HP and Canon cartridges are specifically designed with this kind of closed-loop recycling in mind, which is one reason why using genuine ink supports a more sustainable outcome than compatible alternatives.
Which Cartridges Can Crazy Kangaroo Recycle?
Our free Freepost recycling service accepts genuine HP and Canon inkjet cartridges — including empty, dried-up, or part-used cartridges. Multiple cartridges can be included in a single return. We don't currently accept Epson, Brother, toner cartridges, ink bottles, or HP Instant Ink cartridges (those should be returned to HP directly using the envelope included with your Instant Ink delivery).
For full details on what we accept, packaging guidance, and answers to common questions, visit our ink cartridge recycling page — it also has a download link for your free Freepost label.
Recycling for Businesses and Schools
Our recycling programme is open to individuals, small businesses, and schools — not just home users. If you're generating larger volumes of empty cartridges and the standard Freepost label isn't practical at scale, get in touch and we can discuss the best approach for your situation.
Businesses in particular often overlook the environmental and reputational benefits of a proper cartridge recycling policy. It's a simple, visible commitment to responsible waste management that costs nothing and requires very little effort to implement. We cover this in more detail in our post on why businesses should recycle their ink cartridges.
