Electrical Equipment

Electronic and electrical equipment makes up a small amount of the rubbish we collect, but this amount is growing.

Rapid technological changes mean that our electronic appliances tend to go out of date more quickly.

Getting the latest model makes many items that are still in working order redundant.

Many of these may be reused or recycled. How to recycle electrical and electronic equipment TVs, DVD players, hi-fis and computers tend to be made mostly of glass, plastic and metal, with small amounts of many other substances, some of which may be harmful to the environment.

Reusing and recycling is one way to reduce the environmental impact that these products have. For most people, the best way to deal with old electrical goods is to consider :

"Reuse", pass them on to some one else who could use them if they are still in good working order.

Do not donate to charity shops as they can not accept them due to health and safety reasons.

"Refurbishment", hand them on to a company that can refurbish them recycling: some electrical goods can be recycled in some areas. Rather than put them in the bin, take them to your local Reuse and Recycling Centre where they can be added to other scrap for recycling.

If you have bulky items to recycle contact your collector to arrange collection. There may be a charge for this service.

"Computers", Some businesses take back old computers when a new one is purchased. However, there may be a charge to the customer for this service.  There are also a growing number of companies/organisations who will collect old working computers, which they check, clean off any data and send to charities for reuse.

"Mobile phones", Disposing of mobile phones is important, as a number of their parts are toxic, including the LCD screens and the rechargeable batteries. A number of charities, some boroughs and some supermarkets now collect mobile phone for recycling.