CARDIFF today unveils its plans for “Cardiff Recycles,” organised by the Waste Strategy Team at Cardiff Council. The project will launch in July with the hope that residents in the local community will get behind its drive to recycle their electricals. Cardiff Recycles has installed 20 new striking pink small electrical recycling banks, which will be located at easily accessible locations, including local Hubs and Community Centres across the city.
This is one of over 40 UK projects funded by Material Focus, the not for profit leading the UK wide Recycle Your Electricals campaign, who have provided £50,000 funding for the project. Cardiff Council will lead the way locally, joining other projects around the country in making it easier for 10 million UK residents to recycle their electricals. The small electrical recycling banks installed by Cardiff Recycles hope to collect 6 tonnes in the next twelve months.
Weekly collections at the local bank sites and Community Centres will take place. Cardiff Council has partnered with Wastesavers to provide electrical testing and safety checks (PAT testing) for all recycled items and any electricals collected that can be reused will be made available to purchase at affordable prices at the Wastesavers re-use shop in Lamby Way.
Reducing waste locally and supporting residents with clear, simple ways to access recycling services in Cardiff will be a key part of the City’s progress towards its ambitious target of becoming Zero Waste by 2050. Creating projects like this reaffirms Cardiff Council’s commitment to move ‘Beyond Recycling’ by keeping resources in use and avoiding waste.
Residents will be made aware of how and where they can recycle their electricals through information on Keep Cardiff Tidy as well as on eye-catching posters featuring HypnoCat. Keep an eye out for HypnoCat, the Recycle Your Electricals mesmerising pink, fluffy mascot, who is on a mission to hypnotise local residents into recycling their electricals.
The aim of the nationwide Electricals Recycling Fund is to significantly reduce e-waste and its environmental impact by making it easier for consumers to recycle their electricals. The projects that have been funded by Material Focus include a variety of recycling methods, from kerbside collections to more drop-off points in schools, community centres, and bring banks. Overall, there will be over 400 new collection points plus kerbside collections for 5.5 million UK residents.
Recycle Your Electricals research has shown that 80% of consumers believe recycling is a good thing, and many of us already recycle things like paper and plastic. Research has also shown that most of us have unwanted electricals we want to get rid of. On average there are at least 30 electricals hidden away in drawers in UK homes, a total of 880 million items across the UK – with a simple repair many could be donated or sold to people who could put them to good use. And yet 39% of people bin electricals, rather than recycle or reuse them leading to over 100,000 tonnes of electricals thrown away every year. The aim of these projects is to overcome these issues by making it easier to repair, donate or recycle electricals.
A spokesperson at Cardiff Council said of the project, “Electronic waste is increasing at a concerning pace. Supporting our residents with options to recycle small electricals, locally, is a positive step forward to reducing overall waste and improving recycling rates.
Cardiff Recycles provides easy access to local recycling points and takes us one step closer to our commitment of a circular, low carbon economy. Our project, in partnership with the Recycle Your Electricals campaign, will play a key part in supporting our communities to reuse, repair and recycle.”
“We are pleased to support the Cardiff Recycles project that addresses the pressing issue of e-waste,” said Scott Butler, Executive Director of Material Focus. “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 10 million more people to recycle their electricals.”
To find your nearest recycling point search recycle your electricals
