COMPUTER users in Stockton are being encouraged to recycle printer cartridges.

A survey by Cartridge World, which has stores at Norton Road and Devonshire Road, reveals that nearly 80 per cent of people ditch their empty ink cartridges.

The firm, which refills empty ones, has launched a 'Plant a Tree not a Cartridge' initiative with the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts.

RSA fellow and comedian Griff Rhys Jones helped launch the scheme as part of National Tree Week.

David Parkinson, of Cartridge World, said: "By launching our new initiative, we hope to redress the balance and encourage customers in Stockton to plant a tree by refilling their empty cartridges, rather than adding to the millions currently sitting in landfill sites.

"We hope that people in Stockton prove to be tree friendly and help us hit our target of planting 6,000 trees over the next year."

The company has launched a loyalty card scheme where customers will receive a stamp every time they refill a cartridge and, for every eight stamps, a tree will be planted.