Recycling is a buzz word in most offices these days but how many of us appreciate the good work we can achieve by making use of those empty printer cartridges?

The national charity Oxfam says that in some poor countries £1 is enough to plant three coffee seedlings while £2 will provide school lunches for 33 hungry children.

So, as part of its Green Policy, staff at the Riviera International Conference Centre in Torquay have vowed to make an even greater effort to recycle empty old laser printer cartridges in the hope of raising money to help those less fortunate than themselves.

The Centre already has an arrangement with its main office equipment supplier Lexmark for all its products to be recycled and has now secured a new scheme with a company called LaserXchange to make use of all other inkjet cartridges from smaller printers.

LaserXchange has agreed to provide a special collection box and will donate to Oxfam £2 for every suitable laser cartridge received and £1 for every inkjet.

Managing Director Barry Cole explained: "We have always been keen to recycle as much office equipment as possible and the Oxfam recycling scheme in 2002 raised a staggering £36,000 to help work around the world, we are delighted to help towards it's continuing success.

"Now with our Green Policy in place, we are all keen to try and improve our efforts and we hope with the help of LaserXchange we will be able to make an even greater contribution to Oxfam. By doing our bit, we will be helping to reduce the massive waste caused by the production and disposal of non -renewable plastics and metals."