INDIVIDUALS and companies are being urged to save office materials that usually end up in the bin.

They are being asked to save empty toner and printer cartridges and old mobile phones to help raise money for the Friarage Scout Link Group, in Northallerton.

The group has been set up to allow less able young people to enjoy Scouting and it has teamed up with recycling company Eurosource to run the scheme.

Every time someone donates a cartridge or mobile phone, the group will receive a donation.

Spokesman Simon Hickling said: "Throwing away an old mobile phone or printer cartridge is not very environmentally friendly.

"Some mobile phone batteries contain cadmium, and other dangerous and toxic substances. Once dumped in landfill sites, the phone casing corrodes and the cadmium leaks into the soil.

"Very few printer cartridges are recycled. The rest are buried in landfill sites. They could be helping our fundraising efforts.

"It takes more than 1.5 pints of oil to make a new toner cartridge, and in the last decade it is estimated that millions of pounds-worth of printer cartridges were dumped."

For details, call Mr Hickling on (01609) 761116.