What to do with your old electrical items
Recycle your electrical items at our Recycling Centres
Retailer 'take-back' schemes
Electrical waste from businesses
Background to the Waste electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive
Useful websites
What to do with your old electrical items
Any electrical or electronic item that uses a plug or battery can be recycled so please do not throw them away in the bin. Instead you can take them to one of our Recycling Centres or check with your local retailer to see if they operate a 'take-back' scheme - see below.
Electrical items that you can recycle include items such as:
Small kitchen appliances
Kettles, toasters, irons, blenders, smoothie makers, sandwich toasters, coffee machines, food processors, bread makers, electric scales and more.
Personal care
Hairdryers, hair straighteners, electric toothbrushes, hair trimmers, shavers, hair curlers, facial saunas, power showers and more.
DIY and garden electricals
Drills, power tools, garden shears, strimmers, sanders, angle grinders, chainsaws, lawnmowers, garden sprinklers and more.
High-tech electronic devices
Phones, mobile phones, remote controls, chargers, radios, VCRs, digi-boxes, speakers, hi-fi units, electronic toys and more.
Large appliances
Televisions, computers, washing machines, tumble dryers, cookers, fridges, freezers and more.
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Recycle your electrical items at our Recycling Centres
You can bring all your old electrical items to the Council's Recycling Centres. There are specific containers to recycle each of the following:
- Large and small electrical items (see list above)
- Televisions and computer monitors
- Fridges and freezers
- Fluorescent tubes and low energy light bulbs
To find out more, please go to Recycling Centres.
Retailer 'take-back' schemes
Some retailers offer an in-store take back scheme for electrical and electronic equipment. Check with your local retailer. For a list of retailers who will take back electrical equipment please go to Recycle Now A-Z list of retailers.
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Electrical Waste from Businesses
All businesses that use electrical or electronic equipment are subject to the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations and must therefore store, treat and recycle this separately to their other waste.
As a business it is important to retain proof that any electrical or electronic waste was given to an appropriate waste management company and dealt with a sustainable manner.
Free take back of unwanted goods may be available by the producer under certain circumstances. Alternatively businesses will need to arrange and pay for disposal of WEEE through an Approved Authorised Treatment Facility (AATF).
Further details of the options available to businesses can be found on the Environment Agency website link under the related documents or by contacting Envirowise on 0800 585794.
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Background to the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive
The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations came into force in January 2007 to tackle the amount of electrical and electronic equipment being sent to landfill. They encourage re-use and recycling and put an onus on the producers and retailers to take responsibility for the environmental impact of their electrical and electronic equipment (EEE).
From July 2007 producers and retailers have either had to offer in store take back of unwanted electrical goods or join a compliance scheme to cover the waste costs of their products.
All electrical and electronic equipment on the market must be marked with a crossed out wheelie bin logo to remind consumers to recycle these goods at the end of the product life.
Further information on the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations can be found on the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) website.
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Useful websites
Recycle Now
Don't bin it bring it
Recycle More
Environment Agency
Envirowise
Department of Trade and Industry
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