Spelthorne launches trial to encourage more small electricals recycling
Launching on 23 March, the council aims to make it easier to recycle small electrical items at a local level. The installation of easily accessible electrical recycling bins, placed alongside clear instructions to guide residents on recycling small electricals such as hairdryers, toasters, old phones and electric toothbrushes, will help improve recycling rates across the borough.
Around 500 residents in sixteen blocks of flats across the borough are taking part in the initial pilot, which will run until the end of December 2026.
This is one of over 70 UK pilots funded by Material Focus, the not for profit leading the Recycle Your Electricals campaign, who have provided £6,000 to support the pilot. Spelthorne Borough Council is joining other pilots around the country in making it easier for over 12 million UK residents to recycle their electricals.
Residents will be made aware of how and where they can recycle their electricals through information on leaflets and 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 residents into recycling their electricals.
This pilot is part of the 2025 funding for the Electricals Recycling Fund where Material Focus has allocated an additional £750,000. 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 pilots 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 3 million residents - together helping over 12 million UK residents to recycle their electricals.
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 pilots is to overcome these issues by making it easier to repair, donate or recycle electricals.
A Council spokesperson said: “Reducing waste and increasing recycling are key priorities for the Council, and this pilot will make it much easier for residents to do the right thing with their unwanted electrical items. Too many small electricals stay in drawers or, worse, end up in the bin, when they could be reused or recycled. By working with Material Focus on this trial, we are helping to cut e-waste, recover valuable materials and protect the environment for future generations. If the pilot is successful, we hope it will lead to wider improvements in electrical recycling across the borough.”
"We are pleased to support this pilot 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 out more about recycling small electricals visit Small electricals | Spelthorne Borough Council
Notes to Editors:
About Material Focus and the Recycle Your Electricals campaign
Material Focus is a not-for-profit organisation whose goal is to stop the nation throwing away or hoarding all their old small electricals. Material Focus is leading the UK-wide Recycle Your Electricals campaign. The campaign is revealing the value hidden in electricals and is making it easier for us all to recycle and reuse the small electricals we no longer need by providing more recycling points as well as providing practical information on how households can recycle. For media enquiries please contact zoe@snowballpr.co.uk or will@materialfocus.org.uk mobile 07581 005204.