Most of these recycling streams are easily accessible through drop off points, home collections or free printable postage labels. There’s much more to be done by manufacturers to make their packaging more easily recyclable, but here is a good place to start.

So why not be a more responsible consumer, reduce the amount of resources going to waste while managing to grab some sweet deals for returning your empties!

BIC BIC Community Champions in collaboration with TerraCycle have organised over 740 collection points to recycle old highlighters, pens, board markers and felt tips of any brand.

Boots Boots has partnered with ACUVUE and teracycle for a contact lenses recycling scheme: Drop contact lenses at a Boots store or Teracycle collection point.

Canon Canon takes back its toner and inkjet cartridges. Fill out a form online and they’ll send you a shipping label.

Dell Dell’s mailback programme will take back any Dell product for free recycling, even if you aren’t buying a new one. Free Fedex shipping labels are available to be dropped off at any Fedex location, or have it collected! Dell will also take back a non-Dell computer if you are buying a new Dell system. Just select “free recycling” when you are customising your new system, this can be shipped back for free using their pre-printed Fedex shipping label. More info on the Dell Mailback program.

Kiehl’s: For each empty, full-size container you bring in for recycling to a Kiehl’s store, you’ll receive one stamp. Once you’ve racked up 10 stamps, you’ll receive a free travel-size Kiehl’s product.

Lush: Bring back five empty Lush pots or tubes to any Lush store for recycling and receive a free face mask.

MAC Cosmetics: Back to MAC project will take back MAC’s packaging in-store or through the mail — and you’ll even get a free lipstick if you return at least six packages.

Nescafe: Add pink recycling bags to your next order to send back to Nespresso or post them at a collect+ store. A printable or downloadable label can be accessed online.

Nespresso: Takeback scheme to recycle coffee pods, drop off the used pods in Nespresso stores or order a free recycling bag online and drop to over 7000 collect+ outlets or have them collected from your doorstep. Nespresso currently recycle 25% of all capsules sold.

Origins: accept containers from any brand at drop off points in stores (House of Fraser etc)  With the exception of kits and promotional items, all product cartons contain 50% post-consumer recycled content.

Simply Cups: Is the UK’s first, and leading, nationwide cup collection and recycling scheme These are recycled and turned into new products!

Tawmix: A local company which recycle commercial uPVC window frames, wood and plasterboard.

The Body Shop: teamed with teracycle to have a recycle return scheme for empty product packaging.

Walkers: Walkers have teamed up with TerraCycle and set up the UK’s first crisp packet collection service. There are drop off points all around the UK and 80% of UK households are within just four miles of one. The drop off points accept crisp packets of any brand, find your nearest one here;