News
Recycle your electricals – don’t bin it, bring it!
This feature was added on 20th January 2010
Do you have any electrical appliances lying around the home, that are either broken or past their prime? Well, if you do, the good news is that all of these items can be recycled at one of Hertfordshire’s household waste recycling centres (HWRCs).
Following the busy Christmas period, many of us will have old electrical items we can no longer use. So, whether it’s an old mobile phone in your drawer, children’s toys in the cupboard, old power tools cluttering up the shed or garage, or a broken kettle or toaster gathering dust in your loft, they can all be recycled instead of going to waste. Simply take them with you on your next visit to your nearest HWRC.
In the past year, over 173 million electrical items were sold in the UK, many containing valuable plastics and metals. For instance, mobile phones, computers and PDAs include silver, copper and indium (used in liquid crystal displays). Recycling these means that valuable materials can be used again in manufacturing new products.
If the item is still in good working order, why not re-use it, either by asking relatives or friends if they would like it, selling the appliance online, or donating goods to charity.
There are many different types of electrical items used around the home, from high-tech electronic devise like digi-boxes, VCRs and speakers, to personal care items, including hair straighteners, electric toothbrushes and power showers. If you want to know whether you can recycle your appliance, ask yourself these questions:
- Does it have a plug?
- Does it use batteries?
- Does it need charging?
- Does it have the crossed-out wheelie bin logo on it?
If you can answer “YES” to any of the above, you can recycle it at a Hertfordshire HWRC.
Use the postcode search on the right to find out your nearest point for recycling your electrical appliances.
Alternatively, when you buy a new electrical appliance, the store may be able to take your old appliance from you, and recycle it themselves. For more information, visit www.dontbinitbringit.org.