Through the Electricals Recycling Fund, Material Focus has awarded 40 projects across the UK with £1.8 million in funding to make it easier for 10 million people to recycle their electricals.
The Electricals Recycling Fund aims to “significantly reduce” the environmental impact of e-waste by making it easier for consumers to recycle their electricals.
The projects will provide a variety of recycling methods, from kerbside collections to more drop-off points in schools, community centres, and on-street bring banks. Material Focus says that overall there will be over 400 new collection points plus kerbside collections for 5.5 million UK residents.
Scott Butler, Executive Director of Material Focus, commented: “We are thrilled to support these innovative projects that address the pressing issue of e-waste.
“By investing in improved drop-off options services and exploring new ways of collecting electricals, we are taking a significant step towards creating a more sustainable future by making it easier for 10 million more people to recycle their electricals.”
One of the recipients of the funding is The Library of Things which plans to launch an online platform that allows their existing 12,000+ Brighton and London users with their rental, repair, reuse and recycling services.
We are taking a significant step towards creating a more sustainable future by making it easier for 10 million more people to recycle their electricals.
North Tyneside Council is set to use the funding to establish 30 additional small electricals recycling points in schools and community centres across their local area. Material Focus says this initiative will enable 209,000 residents of North Tyneside to recycle their electricals.
Solihull Council in partnership with Veolia plans to use the funding to provide a bookable kerbside collection service available to over 215,000 residents in the Solihull area.
Richmond Upon Thames and Wandsworth Councils are planning to set up a small waste electricals kerbside collection service and bring banks for waste electricals for half a million residents.
Four thousand residents in North Kensington in West London will be provided with new local drop-off points, regular collections, and educational electrical repair workshops.
Reacting to the funding, Charlotte Thorpe, from The Library of Things, said: “In London and Brighton, more than 16,000 residents have already prevented over 150 tonnes of electrical waste from ending up in landfill by renting instead of buying occasional use household items.
“Some of our users are already active zero-waste champions – organising repair parties and swap shops and telling neighbours about services and campaigns to reduce waste. We want to support more of this – becoming a platform for local people to organise around reuse and repair.”