Renfrewshire residents urged to recycle their electricals via new library small electrical collection project

The Renfrewshire Recycles Small Electricals project organised by Renfrewshire Council today unveils its plans for making it easier to recycle small electrical items. The project launched in libraries across Renfrewshire on 7 November 2024 with the hope that 184,340 residents in the local community will get behind its drive to recycle their electricals.

Renfrewshire Recycles Small Electricals makes recycling small electrical items simple. All locals will be encouraged to recycle at easily accessible drop-off points at local libraries situated across the local community. The project provides opportunities for all locals to recycle, by removing barriers to recycling for those who cannot reach a household waste recycling centre.

This is one of over 40 UK projects funded by Material Focus, the not for profit leading the Recycles Your Electricals campaign, who have provided £10,823 to support this project. Renfrewshire Council’s initiative joins other projects around the country in making it easier for 10 million UK residents to recycle their electricals.

Striking bright pink small electrical recycling bins will be installed at 12 centrally located libraries across Renfrewshire from 7 November 2024:

• Bishopton Library
• Bridge of Weir Library
• Erskine Library
• Ferguslie Library
• Foxbar Library
• Glenburn Library
• Johnstone Library
• Linwood Library
• Lochwinnoch Library
• Paisley Central Library
• Ralston Library
• Renfrew Library

At each location small electrical items such as hairdryers, irons and electric whisks can be simply deposited in the collection bins and small containers will also be provided for safe      disposal of household batteries. All electrical kitchen appliances being disposed of should be cleaned of any food waste residue in advance or they will not be accepted at the collection points.

The installation of the new collection points, which can be easily reached by the community, is to both encourage an increase in recycling and to shift local behaviour, ensuring that electricals aren’t discarded in general waste.

There are some items which will not be accepted at the Renfrewshire Recycles Small Electricals library drop off points and should be taken to a local Household Waste Recycling Centre. These include:

• Rechargeable items such as smart home devices
• Electrical items that are bigger than a toaster
• Power tools
• Rechargeable vapes
• Laptops
• Phones
• Tablets

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

Convenor of Renfrewshire Council’s Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board, Councillor Michelle Campbell said: “We’re delighted to be rolling out Renfrewshire Recycles Small Electricals to libraries across the area. By creating drop-off points in the heart of our communities we aim to not only expand our recycling capacity but encourage more people to adopt positive behaviours towards recycling these small items by making it easier for them to do so.”

“We are pleased to support Renfrewshire Recycles Small Electricals 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