Recycle small electricals at the kerbside!
Most residents across Tewkesbury Borough can now recycle small electricals such as irons, hair dryers, laptops and mobile phones by putting them out in a carrier bag next to their blue recycling bins.
Any items that are less than 25cm in length and require a plug or battery to perform their main function – referred to as Small Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) – can now be recycled at the kerbside. Residents should place the item(s) in one standard-sized carrier bag, tie the handles, and put the bag alongside their blue bin by 7am on recycling collection day.
Peter Tonge, Head of Community services, said: “We are very pleased to be able to broaden the range of items we recycle from the kerbside across most of our borough. Since technology progresses at such a fast pace, older electrical and electronic items can quickly become unwanted, but we don’t want to see these items wasted.
“Most small electrical products contain valuable plastics and metals which can be recycled and potentially used to make new TVs, fridges or other products. Expanding our service to include electronic products also prevents the environmental pollution caused by their toxic materials. So please, if you can, do take advantage of the new kerbside service and recycle your small electricals on your recycling collection day.”
Due to the structure of the collection vehicles, unfortunately, the service is not yet available to those who use a communal bin storage area or live in an area that requires smaller waste and recycling trucks to access the property. The council’s post code checker can be used to find out if an address is on a ‘narrow access’ collection round. There are plans to extend this service to all residents as soon as possible, but until then, the council is urging residents who use communal bin storage or are on ‘narrow access rounds, to continue using their nearest recycling point or Household Recycling Centre to recycle small electricals. Companies that sell large amounts of electronics also offer recycling points for small electrical items.
For more information on recycling your small electronic and electrical equipment, please visit tewkesbury.gov.uk/recycling-small-electronics
