Don’t trash your old TV…

19 Jun 2009

Welsh consumers urged to recycle or reuse their unwanted electricals

In Wales, we are recycling more of our waste than ever before. For most of us, the message has hit home that we all need to do our bit to save the earth’s valuable resources and it has become second nature to sort through our rubbish to make sure not a scrap of paper, glass, cardboard and plastic sneaks its way into our dustbins.

But while we may be comfortable with what to do with our everyday recyclables, what about other things around the home that we no longer have a use for – that old kettle, for example, that stopped working three winters ago or an old PC that’s long since given up the ghost, having been replaced by a flashier, up-to-the-minute laptop? Yes, we all know that our old newspapers should be put out for collection and our beans tins can be recycled over and over again, yet it seems that most of us have no idea what to do with old electrical items that we no longer need.

With the digital switchover looming, the issue of how to dispose of our old television sets and video recorders is becoming more important than ever. Although most TVs can be converted with a digital box, there are so many sleek LCD and plasma television sets on the market today that many people are seizing the opportunity to treat themselves to an upgrade. But where does that leave our old trusted TVs and video recorders?

The good news is our electrical goods don't have to go to waste. As Recycle Week kicks off across the UK (22-28 June), Waste Awareness Wales is urging consumers to dispose of their old electrical goods safely and responsibly.

"Whether it's old mobile phones in a drawer, kids' toys in a cupboard, old power tools cluttering up your garage or a broken kettle or toaster taking up precious storage space, sometimes it can be hard to part with things that seem too valuable to throw away," says Owain Griffiths, head of Waste Awareness Wales. "Many end up simply gathering dust in the attic or worse still, are put out with general household rubbish where they go on to clog up landfill sites – a particularly alarming prospect, as many old electrical goods contain hazardous materials and chemicals including lead, dangerous phosphors and glass.

"Rather than throwing the item away, think first whether you could give it away or swap it with any of your relatives or friends. If not, why not try to sell it online, put it on freecycle or donate it to charity? Anything is better than leaving it to cause irreparable damage in a landfill site.

"If you’re replacing an electrical item and have one which can’t be sold or reused, your first point of contact should be your electrical retailer as they are all obliged under the UK Waste Electrical Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive to help us dispose of our old electrical items in a responsible way. The legislation is based around ‘polluter pays’ principles so companies which produce and sell electrical items are responsible for the cost of their own recycling.

"Many larger companies actually provide take-back schemes where they will take away the item which you are replacing. Others will allow you to take it to their shops for recycling but only, of course if you are buying a new replacement item from them. At the very least, the retailer is obliged to advise you of the nearest facility where your old item can be recycled.

"In most cases it’s worth getting your household items repaired or refurbished by a specialist company, particularly things like cookers, washing machines and vacuum cleaners, as this can be considerably cheaper than splashing out on a new one.

"If however, your item is simply broken and you are not looking to replace it, you should always find out if it could be recycled. You might be surprised to know that the majority of electrical items contain a whole host of valuable materials that can be used in the manufacture of other products - from plastics and aluminium to copper wiring.

"Most local authorities in Wales are working with WEEE recycling schemes to provide designated collection facilities where members of the public can take their unwanted electrical goods to be recycled. To find out where your nearest facility is, you can log onto our website – www.wasteawarenesswales.org.uk - and enter your postcode into the Bank Locator, which provides information on the nearest facilities for recycling just about anything that can be recycled!"

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