Buy a printer that accepts refillable cartridges, or for which refilled/recycled cartridges can be easily purchased.

Refilled cartridges are cheaper than new ones. Generally their performance is good, although they are more prone to faults than the printer manufacturer’s own brand in our experience.

You can also refill cartridges yourself by purchasing ink packs. These will enable you to maximise your use of a single cartridge, but filling the cartridge yourself can be a messy and time-consuming business.

JR Inkjet supply refill kits, as do Inktek and Cartridges by Post

UKCRA, the UK Cartridge Remanufacturers Association, sets the standards for remanufactured cartridges, so buy your cartridges from a member company, otherwise you may find the cartridges are sub-standard.

Many organisations such as schools and charities have cartridge collection schemes. Collect4School can help you set one up.

If you want to start your own scheme Action Aid can help you by providing storage boxes, FREEPOST bags, or they can collect.

Against Breast Cancer will also help you recycle printer cartridges, and you can help them by donating via Reclaim-IT.

For office users, many cartridge manufacturers make provision for returning used cartridges directly to them for re-use.

Cartridge World have stores nationwide, and will refill your empty cartridges, for about a 60% saving on buying a new cartridge.

If your cartridge isn't printing (for example a colour is missing), and you're sure there is still ink in it, then try dipping the print head in boiling water for a few seconds, then dab it on a piece of kitchen paper. If you can see all 3 colours on the kithcen paper you've successfully unclogged your print head!