People who have received a new printer and ink cartridges this Christmas and are looking to dispose of an old could be targeted by a new campaign to encourage recycling.

The industry-led drive, which is backed by the government, is seeking to persuade more people to think about what they do with old electronic goods in order to prevent them from being dumped.

Business minister Mark Prisk said: "Recycling is not only good for the environment, it's safer too as harmful chemicals aren't sent to landfill."

He added now is the perfect time for an awareness campaign as many items may end up tossed into bins or left in the back of cupboards at this time of year.

As part of the drive, an advert will be aired nationwide for four weeks from Boxing Day advising the public to use the Waste and Resources Action Programme's Recycle Now site to find their nearest facility.

Raising awareness of recycling is said to be vital, as changes to the EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive mean that from 2016 the UK will need to dramatically increase the amount of materials it reuses, the campaign noted.