Businesses, residents and organisations in Swindon are being urged to recycle their broken electronics at a two day event being held at the County Ground in Swindon, home to Swindon Town FC.
The recycling event takes place on 10 and 11 February 2012. All types of business and household electronic waste will be accepted for free and staff will be on hand to help with unloading.
The event is being hosted by European Recycling Platform (ERP), Swindon Borough Council, Swindon Chamber of Commerce and Swindon Commercial Services as part of a drive to increase the amount of electronic waste that is recycled.
Electronic waste is the fastest growing waste stream in the UK. More than one million tonnes of electronic goods are sold every year, but only around a third is recycled. The materials used to make electronic goods are valuable and can be used to make new products. For example, the plastic from a computer keyboard could end up in a new musical instrument, the gold from a mobile phone could be made into jewellery, and an iron contains enough steel to produce 13 steel cans. Recycling protects the environment and stops e-waste going to landfill.
Cllr Nick Martin, Swindon Borough Council cabinet member for Streetsmart and Parks said: "It's important that the people of Swindon recycle as much as they can. This event will provide another opportunity for residents and businesses to avoid throwing their waste in the general rubbish and make some good out of it. Electrical items, large to small, can all be recycled and this highlights yet another waste that shouldn't be sent to landfill."
Gary Mealing, President, Swindon Chamber of Commerce, said: "This is a great opportunity for individuals and businesses alike to do good for the community whilst disposing of obsolete and unwanted electrical goods.”
Scott Butler, ERP Managing Director, said: “Plenty of people have a broken computer gathering dust in their office, an old printer cluttering up the cupboard or an unwanted mobile lurking in a drawer. Well, now you can be free of it and benefit the environment at the same time. Bring anything with a battery or a plug on it and it will be recycled.”
All electrical waste collected will be recycled, including computers, monitors, mobile phones, video players, games consoles, microwaves, dishwashers, fridges, ovens, battery operated toys, power tools, electric kettles, televisions, electric heaters, radios, MP3 players, fluorescent and low energy light bulbs. All electrical waste will be treated within the UK. Recycling and disposal services are provided courtesy of Apple.
KEY FACTS ON E-WASTE
- Electronic waste is the fastest growing waste stream in the UK.
- Over 1 million tonnes of electronic goods are sold every year, nearly 20kg per person.
- In 2010, over 466,000 tonnes of e-waste was collected and recycled, around 38% by weight of the WEEE sold.
- The rest ended up in landfill or is still in people’s homes.
- On average, each person in the UK recycled 7.5kg of e-waste in 2010.
Visit the European Recycling Platform website (www.erp-recycling.co.uk) to find out more about these free electronic recycling days.