This will include 36 pink bins for residents to drop off disposable vapes.
Boosted by a £100,000 grant from Material Focus, which is funded by the WEEE compliance fee, the project launches today “in the hope that County Durham residents will get behind its drive to continue to safely recycle their electricals”.
The recycling points will be located in libraries, leisure centres and community venues. The council said it hopes to provide “numerous options to locals for the recycling of small electricals and vapes”.
In addition to the recycling collection expansion, repair cafes will continue their tours twice a month, in partnership with County Durham Furniture Help Scheme, “offering locals advice, tips and guidance on recycling, repairing and reusing sustainably and safely”.
To incentivise the community to recycle, Durham county council has also partnered with AO.com to offer residents the chance to win a variety of small electricals, including coffee machines and smart speakers.
This will work by residents sending an email once they have deposited electrical in the bins, and they will then be entered into a monthly prize draw.
‘Delighted’
Cllr Mark Wilkes, Durham county council’s cabinet member for neighbourhoods and climate change, said: “We are delighted to have expanded the number of small electrical recycling points in County Durham, making it easier for residents to dispose of unwanted electricals in a sustainable way.
“We’ve also increased the number of places people can recycle their vapes to help people dispose of them safely and responsibly. It isn’t safe to dispose of used vapes at home and we ask people not to put them in their bins because lithium batteries are highly flammable, explosive, and polluting. By using one of our recycling points, these items can be used as a resource to produce something new rather than being disposed of as waste.”
Bins
The scheme is one of more than 40 from Material Focus, as part of a nationwide campaign to reduce the dangers posed by the incorrect disposal of vapes and batteries, and to increase WEEE recycling.
Last week, Cumberland council confirmed similar plans, which included WEEE ‘doorstep collections’ (see letsrecycle.com story).
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.
Support
Scott Butler, executive director of Material Focus, said: “We are pleased to support Durham county council’s small electrical & vape 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 10 million more people to recycle their electricals.”
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