Changes to our admin office opening times for 2023!
We are open Tuesday to Friday 9.15am – 2.45pm, closed on a Monday and Bank Holidays. Our staff are ‘WFH’ and our phone isn’t always manned so please email your queries and questions to – info@emptiesplease.com
ADMIN OFFICE CLOSURE IN AUGUST
Recyclers, our admin office will be closed due to staff holiday from Monday 31st July until Tuesday 15th August, during this time there will be some limited cover on email enquiries but if we are unable to answer your query we will get back to you after August 15th, thank you for your support!

Enter our competition – A Day Trip for 2 on The Northern Belle, next draw is August 2023! Email your name to – info@emptiesplease.com to enter! Good luck
Congratulations to the latest winner of our February 2023 draw ‘Stu Outhwaite’ enjoy your trip!

Would you like to recycle with Empties Please? There are ‘2’ ways you can help to keep cartridges out of landfill – See details for both our schemes below and pick which one is best for you …
1 – Our printer cartridge ‘RECYCLE BIN’ collection scheme for ink and toner
- Complete the relevant application form on our website, by clicking either the schools, business or charity pages above
- We’ll send you a welcome pack by email with posters to display, letters to print and everything else you need to know about our scheme
- We’ll send you a set of recycle bins and our special recycle bags if you are a school
- You promote your Empties Please recycling scheme via social media, newsletters, email and your website
- Collect cartridges in your recycle bin
- When your bin is full, contact us to arrange a free return
- We process your cartridges in our warehouse
- We pay a school, charity or good cause for the cartridges we can recycle!
Our scheme is so simple and completely free to run. We supply everything you’ll need to make it a great success! All you need to do is promote it through the channels advised and you’ll be raising money in no time!
For more information on the correct scheme for you, click either the schools, businesses, charities or Roy Castle tab at the top of our homepage.
2 – Our ‘FREEPOST ENVELOPE’ ink cartridge returns service
If you do not use enough ink cartridges to warrant having one of our recycle bins but would still like to recycle the cartridges you use, we can send you some of our FREEPOST recycle bags.
All you need to do is complete this form – https://www.emptiesplease.com/bag-requests/ to order some.
Our postal recycle bags are designed for ‘INK’ cartridges only and you can fit quite a few in them! Unfortunately we are unable to accept toner cartridges through the post. If you would like to recycle toners with us but do not need a recycle bin please contact us directly and we’ll discuss your needs.
Please refer to the lists below to see what we can and can’t recycle at Empties Please.
** Unfortunately we are unable to make payments to charity for cartridges returned by post **
What we CAN and CAN’T recycle at Empties Please …
We are unable to pay for any damaged INK and TONER cartridges!

- We can now recycle ‘ANY ORIGINAL HP’ branded toner
- We can now recycle ‘ANY ORIGINAL SAMSUNG’ branded toner
We also accept some ‘ORIGINAL BRANDED’ toners from Manufacturers Brother, Canon, Dell, Epson, Kyocera, Lexmark, OKI, Xerox and Ricoh. To see if we can accept your original branded toner, they must be on our ‘Toners Accepted for recycling’ list.
PLEASE NOTE! Unfortunately we are UNABLE to recycle –
- Ink tanks of any brand (individual colour cartridges)
- Compatible or remanufactured toner cartridges (Non branded cheaper alternatives to branded toners)
- Waste toner powder containers / boxes / bottles (Click below to view some examples)
- Drums and imaging units
- Any damaged ink or toner cartridges, this includes cartridges with the chips removed

WEEE Recycling / WEEE Directive 2016
If your cartridge is not on our price list, unfortunately we are unable to accept them at Empties Please, but you will still be able to recycle them;
Please visit your manufacturer’s website or contact your supplier for more information on recycling your cartridges through WEEE recycling. Inks and toners are now covered by the ‘WEEE’ directive and manufacturers / retailers have a legal responsibility to provide a return service for inks and toners that they have sold to ensure that they don’t go into landfill.
(Payments for returned recycle bins will be made for values of £5 and over. Any bins returned with a value of less than £5 will have the amount added to their account and paid once the balance has exceeded £5)
If you are a school, business, charity or printer cartridge retailer, click the relevant link below for more information about our recycling schemes …




Empties Please can be ran as your ‘WASTE’ project with Eco-Schools!
You can now run your Empties Please recycling scheme as your ‘Waste’ project with Eco-schools!
For more information on Eco-schools, their award scheme and the 10 topics you can choose from click this link – http://eco-schools.org.uk/
To sign up for our school scheme click on the ‘Schools’ tab at the top of our Homepage
Latest Articles on the Empties Please Blog …
Confirming the contents of your recycle bin for a collectionWelcoming 'Marlena' to the EP admin teamDamaged INK and TONER cartridges - April 2023We need your 'INK cartridges!Empties Please update - Coronavirus April 2020The Great School Board Game Giveaway!100 Christmas Trees!Recycling update June 2019Non return of 'Waste Toner' Containers - May 2019Recycling news from February 2019Damers First School challenge Micheal Gove on CBBC's Newsround!Damers First School Eco School Case Study Article for KBT'100 printers' competition with Eco-schools update Feb 2019Recycling news from January 2019Recycling round up 2018!Recycling news from October 2018WEEE recycling - What to do if we can't recycle your cartridgesRecycling news from August 2018Recycling news from July 2018Recycling news from June 2018!Recycling news from May 2018!Recycling news from April 2018!Recycling news from March 2018Recycling update for February 2018Recycling news from January 2018Happy New Year 2018 and December recycling update!Christmas opening times at Empties Please 2018Recycling news from October 2017Our Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation recyclers hit £2000!Recycling news from September 2017Empties Please and Eco-schools go back to school 2017Recycling update August 2017We have a winner! We draw our Orient Express competitionBack to school - September 2017Win a day trip for 2 on the Northern Belle competitionRecycling news from July 2017Recycling news from June 2017Recycling news from May 2017We have our first Eco-schools '100 printers' competition winner!Age UK Dorchester raise over £1000 with Empties Please!Our recycling competition results - May 2017Now recycling 'ALL' HP original branded toners!We are giving away 100 printers with Eco-schools!Recycling news from March 2017 - Including competition update!Recycle printer cartridges for your charitySchools - Redeeming your 'Green Reward' points!Competition time! Win a Canon Pixma MG2550s MFC PrinterWin a day trip for 2 on the Northern Belle - Our most recent winner!Recycling news from December 2016!Merry Christmas to all our recyclers for 2016!Recycling news from November 2016Empties Please and Eco-schools launch! Dec 2016Recycling news from October 2016Beaudesert Lower School raise £242.35!Recycling update October 2016Recycling update for September 2016Our current cartridge recycling list'FREE' Eco gifts for your school with our 'Green Rewards'Eco-Schools and Empties Please join forces!Schools - Could local businesses recycle for you?Our PTA+ advert September 2016!Fundraising update for August 2016Win a trip on the Northern Belle! Enter now!Payment methods for your Empties Please returnYour school needs you!Our recyclers raise £2851.45 in June / July 2016!Look out for a new advert in the September issue of PTA+Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation Fundraising UpdateMayfield Primary raise £961 and adopt a Snow Leopard!Fundraising Update - April & MayImportant Changes To Our Pricing Structures!Why should you recycle your ink cartridges?Fundraising Update- Feb & March 2016!For our charities ....We are proud to be partnered with the only UK Lung Cancer Charity for a 2nd year running!Toners & Ink Cartridges - What is the difference?Fancy a day out? Enter our competition to win a trip on the 'Northern Belle'...Fundraising Update! Dec 2015 & Jan 2016As well as cash, Schools can earn 'Green Rewards'What can we recycle?Happy New Year to all our Recyclers!Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation Update - December 2015!Christmas Posting Dates for Empties PleaseOver £1800 raised during November...Orient Express Competition Winner November 2015!Empties Please Printer Cartridge Recycling Scheme.£1709.95 Raised in October!Our White Bin Courier Service is Changing...Our ‘FREEPOST’ ‘INK’ cartridge returns service.Our White Toner Boxes...£939.00 Raised so far in September.Empties Please Collect+ & Courier Collections Returns.Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation Update September 2015Look out for a new advert in the September issue of PTA+‘Green Rewards’ for schools with ‘Empties Please’Fancy winning a day trip for 2 on the Orient Express?£2945.48 Raised in July!Our new recycling ‘Price List’ from August 1st 2015!Is your cartridge recycling box full?It's almost Summer holiday time....£1836.25 Raised in June!Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation update June 2015Hungerford Primary School's mini green house delivery!£1,246 raised in May 2015!SCB (Special Needs) Crewe get a chocolate delivery!Our new recycle bin sizes from April 2015£3,372 raised in March 2015!Recycle bin returns made easy at Empties PleaseBlue Coat C Of E Primary School spend their 'Green Rewards'South Hykeham Primary School have a pet Rhino! - PhotographsThe Results! The 'Top 10' of our recycling competition...South Hykeham Primary adopt a Black Rhino with the WWF!Our new recycling 'Price List' from March 2nd 2015Orient Express Competition Winner February 2015!Schools, Business and Charity recycling competition reminder!Fancy a day trip for 2 on the Orient Express?Recycling success in January 2015 and a competition update!£100,000 raised for good causes since we launched in 2010!Tytherington School in Macclesfield raise £711.50 in December!A competition for all recyclers throughout Jan and Feb 2015!Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation team up with Empties Please!Out with the old and in with the new for 2015!£2,931.25 raised in November 2014! Alder Hey in the Park - Update Sept 2014Fundraising in September 2014 - You raised £2,231.25!Find us on the PTA UK website! New for September 2014Orient Express Competition Winner August 2014!We're in 'The Essential Guide to Fundraising' 2014 / 2015 issue'Look out' for our latest advert in PTA+ Magazine!Back to School! Kick start the new school year with Empties PleaseEmpties Please are very proud to support 'Alder Hey's Children's Charity'£3,463.50 raised for charity by our recyclers in July 2014'Green Rewards' for schools with 'Empties Please'Victoria Junior School raise £451.25 in June 2014!Orient Express Competition Winner Dec 2013Exclusive Offer at CartridgePeople.com for a limited time only!!Top Earner in JulyDo you need a Pre-Holiday Collection?Orient Express Facebook Competition WinnerTop June EarnerNew PTA+ AdvertOrient Express Competition WinnerOur Next PTA+ AdvertTestimonial from Darton Primary School PTFARe-drawn Orient Express CompetitionEmpties Please Scheme Well ReceivedOrient Express Facebook CompetitionWINNER! Pupil's Prize Draw 2012Who pick's up your full recycle bin?A Barking Mad Good Time!Scout Community WeekMerry Christmas from Empties Please