Bid to recycle more electrical items

The council said anything with a plug, cable or battery could be recycled

Doorstep collections and drop-off bins in public buildings are planned as part of a new project to encourage the recycling of small electrical items.

Cumberland Council said "anything with a plug, cable or battery can be recycled" and it wanted to make this easier.

Items can either be reused or the materials inside extracted for other purposes, it said.

Cabinet member Denise Rollo urged anyone "hoarding old electricals that you no longer need" to find their nearest recycling point.

The project, which is a partnership between the council and recycling company CRL, was launched in Whitehaven on Saturday and covers 125,000 households.

The local authority plans to install 41 recycling bins in public libraries and sports facilities, and said a weekly doorstep collection would begin in some areas on 5 February.

Residents have been sent leaflets

The council said: "Most of us have unwanted electricals we want to get rid of, even if it’s just a drawer of cables - millions of electrical items are hoarded in UK homes."

However, it said "39% of people bin electricals rather than recycle them" because they thought it was too hard, adding the project aimed to make that easier.

Not-for-profit organisation Material Focus provided almost £63,000 towards the scheme.

Executive director Scott Butler said the issue of e-waste was "pressing" and needed addressing.

"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," he said.

A list of all the new recycling locations for electricals can be found here.