Richmond Council has unveiled its plans for a two-pronged expansion of its small electricals recycling service, which will offer new weekly kerbside collections for around 68,000 households and see the installation of 20 new recycling banks around the borough.

From today, 20 striking new pink small electrical recycling banks will be installed in convenient locations across the borough — which will include select supermarkets, primary schools, railway stations and public car parks — in addition to the 10 banks that already exist in most local libraries.

The second phase of the project, launching on 18 March, offers residents that live in properties that already receive kerbside recycling easy access to small electrical recycling from home.

Households can simply add used, broken and unwanted small electrical items to their weekly mixed container (black box) collections, in a standard size, open carrier bag.  

39% of people currently just bin their electronics. (Photo Credit: Richmond Council).

This is one of the largest of over 40 UK projects funded by Material Focus, the not for profit leading the Recycle Your Electricals campaign, who have provided nearly £30,000 of funding to support the electricals recycling expansion in Richmond upon Thames, joining other projects around the country in making it easier for 10 million UK residents to recycle their electricals. 

The installation of recycling banks in convenient, busy locations and the introduction of household kerbside electrical recycling collections by the Council aims to make it extremely simple for local residents to responsibly dispose of unwanted items, rather than tossing them in the bin.

Anything with a plug, battery or cable up to the size of a coffee maker or two-slice toaster can be recycled and turned into something new through this scheme.

Residents will be made aware of how and where they can recycle their electricals through information on leaflets and 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.

Residents will be made aware of how and where they can recycle their electricals through information on leaflets and on eye-catching posters featuring HypnoCat. (Photo Credit: SnowballPR).

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.

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. 

Cllr Julia Neden-Watts, Chair of Richmond Council's Environment, Sustainability, Culture and Sports Committee, said: "We're very pleased to be launching two new elements to boost our recycling provision for small electrical items, thanks to funding support from Material Focus.

"This will help us to ensure that residents across the borough have easier, more convenient ways to recycle their e-waste. 

"Reducing waste locally and supporting residents with clear, simple ways to access recycling services in our communities will be a key part of our progress towards our ambitious target of becoming a Net Zero borough by 2043."

To find your nearest recycling point and more information about kerbside electricals recycling in Richmond upon Thames, visit their website. 

You can also find local options for donating or exchanging unwanted small electrical items in good condition.