Pink bins increase e-waste collections, councils say

The Greater Cambridge Shared Waste Service, which is run by Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council, installed the pink bins in 2022

The use of bright pink bins has resulted in nine times more electrical, or e-waste, being collected for recycling, according to two councils.

The Greater Cambridge Shared Waste Service installed pink bins in 2022 in a bid to reduce the amount of electrical items ending up in black landfill bins.

Electrical items cannot be put into kerbside recycling bins, but items placed in the pink bins are sorted for re-use and recycling, said South Cambridgeshire District Council.

The pink bins are collected by the waste service, which is run by Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council.

More than 49,000 kg (49 tonnes) of small electrical appliances, such as toasters and mobile phones, have been collected since the pink bins were put in place, said Rosy Moore, Cambridge City Council's executive councillor for climate action and the environment.

Ms Moore added: "We’re really pleased that more people have been able to easily recycle these items - which are full of vital materials like copper and lithium - closer to where they live.”