If the answer to this question is “yes” (and research suggests most homes do), Recycle for Hampshire is encouraging all Hampshire residents to go ‘gadget crazy’ by recycling their unwanted electricals at special collection events across the county to mark national Recycle Week 2012 (18-24 June).

 

Research suggests that the average family has around three old electrical items such as mobile phones, DVD players or hairdryers accumulated at home, often because people are unsure what to do with them when they get replaced. Most people know that electrical and electronic items should not be landfilled as they can contain hazardous materials, but instead of disposing of them properly, a high proportion just hoard them at home.

 

To highlight how easy it is to recycle small electricals, local authorities across Hampshire are hosting special bring day events during Recycle Week at schools, workplaces, libraries and other locations, challenging Hampshire residents to drop off unwanted or broken small electricals for free and in return they can enter a competition to win great gadgets courtesy of our partners WeeeCare.

All bring events will accept any small portable electrical or electronic items with a plug or batteries that can be easily carried by one person, but please note we unfortunately cannot accept televisions or monitors at these events.

 

It is also very easy for Hampshire residents to do their bit and recycle their unwanted electricals all

year round. All 26 household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) will take them for reuse or recycling.

Items which can be repaired may be donated to local charitable organisations, or sold at HWRCs for spares, while items which cannot be mended are dismantled into raw materials to be recycled into

new products.

 

Chair of the Project Integra waste partnership’s Strategic Board, Councillor Leslie Keeble, commented: “Most people actively recycle a lot of things like paper and metals, but don’t realise how easy it is to

recycle electrical items too. A typical domestic iron contains enough steel to make 13 food cans, so by

recycling your broken or unwanted item you are ensuring that valuable natural materials are

conserved and not wasted, helping the environment too!

 

“I invite everyone to use this opportunity to have a clear-out of any small electricals that they no

longer need and to make use of the drop-off points around the County during Recycle Week, further

increasing Hampshire’s fine record at diverting rubbish from landfill. So remember – ‘don’t bin it, bring it!’” Recycle Week 2012 takes place between 18-24 June. http://www.recycleforhampshire.org.uk to find a collection event near you, or to locate your nearest HWRC.

 

*Recycle for Hampshire is the name of the public recycling campaign in the county, run jointly by

Hampshire County Council, the two unitary authorities of Southampton and Portsmouth, and the 11

district and borough councils. All 14 authorities are part of the Project Integra waste partnership which

has achieved an integrated waste management infrastructure in Hampshire since it's inception in the

mid 1990s, and has resulted in Hampshire being the leading county in the UK for diverting household

waste from landfill.