Tesco, the UK's leading supermarket has pledged its full support to the UK's first ever National Recycling Week in the same week that they are delighted to announce a milestone in one of their own recycling schemes. Since its launch in 2001 1 million disposable cameras have been recycled through Tesco.

National Recycling Week aims to raise general awareness amongst consumers across the UK of the importance of recycling. Tesco is committed to minimising the amount of waste produced in-store, to recycle it wherever possible and to encourage their customers to do the same.

Customers tell us they want to be able to recycle more everyday household items, and we are expanding the list of what customers can recycle at our stores. Examples of what customers are recycling at our stores include:

Disposable cameras - one million disposable cameras have been recycled after photo-processing, which means that tonnes of plastic have been saved from going into landfill. Many of the cameras are reused and the recycling process ensures that there is absolutely no waste.

Mobile phones - Since November 2001 Tesco has recycled 500,000 old and unwanted mobile phones which helps raise much needed money for charity at the same time. Over £1 million has been raised for charities including Barnardo's, National Children's Homes and Cystic Fibrosis Trust as a direct result of recycling mobile phones.

InkJet cartridges - Following the success of mobile phone recycling Tesco launched the inkjet cartridge recycling scheme in August 2002 to help reduce the number of potentially harmful used inkjet cartridges that are clogging up land fill sites. This initiative also raises money for charity, but the ultimate aim of the scheme is to encourage customers to do their bit for the environment.

Christmas Card Recycling - This year, 2004, will be the third year that Tesco has teamed up with The Woodland Trust to run the Christmas Card recycling scheme. The scheme which last year recycled 40 million cards - the equivalent of 800 tonnes, has one very simple aim - to encourage individuals to recycle their old Christmas cards by leaving them in special recycling bins which will be at all Tesco stores across the UK throughout January.

Tesco also have a comprehensive in-store recycling operation for its own waste. Secondary packaging is kept to a minimum and recycled where possible. Wherever possible, paper polythene and other consumable items used by Tesco, as well as some non-food products and consumer packaging contains a proportion of recycled materials. Tesco has its own recycling units recovering carrier bags, paper, cardboard and plastic that would otherwise be consigned to landfills or incinerated.

Fiona Mason Tesco Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at Tesco says,

"Tesco welcomes the introduction of National Recycling Week to the UK. At Tesco we place a considerable amount of importance on being a responsible company and are continually looking at new and innovative ways to recycle materials in our own operations and to help make it easier for our customers to recycle more products. We hope that this week will highlight the importance and benefits of recycling to businesses and consumers across the UK."

Pat Stead, managing director of National Recycling Week sponsor, Environmental Business Products, said :

"We are delighted that Tesco supports National Recycling Week as our aim is to create the widest possible awareness of the need to recycle. Both at home and in the office recycling benefits our health and protects the environment as well as saving on the earth's precious resources."

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