Cumberland Council is launching new weekly kerbside waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) collections in some areas as part of its Small Electricals Recycling Project.
The local authority, in partnership with Cumbrian Recycling Company (CRL), has also announced plans to place new recycling bins in 26 library and sports facilities.
After launching the project at the Beacon, Whitehaven on 13 January, the council said it hopes all 125,000 households in the community will get behind the project and increase WEEE recycling rates in the area. A list of the new recycling locations for electrical items can be found on the Recycle Your Electricals website.
If you are hoarding old electricals that you no longer need, I would ask everybody to find your nearest new collection point.
Commenting on the project, Cllr Denise Rollo, Cumberland Council, Executive Member for Sustainable, Resilient and Connected Places, said: “It’s fantastic to be able to offer this new service on a trial basis thanks to the support from Material Focus.
“If you are hoarding old electricals that you no longer need, I would ask everybody to find your nearest new collection point and donate any of your unwanted small electrical items.”
Material Focus, the non-profit which leads the Recycle Your Electricals campaign, provided £62,744 to fund the Small Electricals Recycling Project. The project is one of over 40 UK projects funded by Material Focus’s £2.5 million Electricals Recycling Fund.
The council says it will collect all electrical items for sorting, reuse and recycling alongside CRL as part of the project. The local authority is also raising awareness of the new collections, beginning on 5 February, and recycling bins through leaflets and posters featuring the Recycle Your Electricals mascot HypnoCat.
Scott Butler, Executive Director of Material Focus, commented: “We are pleased to support Cumberland’s Small Electricals Recycling Project that addresses the pressing issue of e-waste.
“By investing in improved collection and drop-off services and exploring new recycling methods, we are taking a significant step towards creating a more sustainable future by making it easier for ten million more people to recycle their electricals.”
