Why is it a problem?
A staggering 155,000 tonnes of electricals are thrown away every year- instead of repairing, reusing, or recycling them. When they aren’t disposed of correctly, they can cause fire and explosions in waste collection vehicles and at waste treatment plants,
What can I do?
If your electronics and gadgets are in good working condition, you could donate them to a charity or organisation who accepts them. There are many across the UK, but here are some that we have found:
- Get Well Gamers- UK charity that passes on games consoles and games to children’s hospitals ( https://getwellgamers.org.uk/ )
- Laptop for all- South Yorkshire based. Laptops for All aims to increase access to learning, enterprise and communication for people of all ages across South Yorkshire. They facilitate the donation, secure erasure and distribution of used digital equipment from individuals and business across the region (https://www.ltfk.co.uk/laptops-for-all )
- Hubbub Community calling campaign- in partnership with O2. a donation project that sees old smartphones be data-wiped, cleaned and gifted with free credit to owners who otherwise wouldn't have internet access. (https://www.hubbub.org.uk/communitycalling )
- Aspire Community Enterprise- a social enterprise based in Sheffield who specialise in computer and electronic refurbishing and recycling. They provide support to vulnerable and marginalised people within the community by providing stable jobs and supported working environment.(https://www.aspire-sheffield.co.uk/ )
- The Great British Tech appeal- Vodafone with the help of our charity partners, Barnardo's and Refugee Council, they get smartphones and tablets to people who need them most. (We accept donations by post and in-store and offer home/office collection if you’re donating more than ten devices. It's completely free – you don’t need to be a Vodafone customer to take part. https://www.vodafone.co.uk/techappeal/ )
- Charity shops- Your local charity shop may accept electrical donations too. Please check with them first to see if they accept working electrical devices before you go. If they do, make sure you wipe the device and factory reset before passing it over. Make sure any chargers and batteries are also included when donating.
You can also sell any electricals that are in good working condition on websites like eBay, Facebook marketplace, music magpie, or Gumtree
If they no longer work, you can sell them as spare parts or for repairing. You could recycle them. This can be done at your local household waste recycling centre or if you are buying a new electronic/gadget some retailers have trade in recycling schemes. Please do not put them in your general waste bin.
For more information about electrical recycling and to find your nearest recycling point, visit Recycle Your Electricals at https://www.recycleyourelectricals.org.uk/