Locations are provided by some of Ecosurety’s biggest members, and collection partners including Currys PC World
UK compliance specialist Ecosurety has added over 1,600 battery collection points to www.recyclenow.com’s Recycling Locator tool. The newly added drop-off locations have been provided by some of Ecosurety’s largest members, plus collection partners which include Currys PC World.
The additional locations will make it easier for consumers to know where they can recycle spent or unwanted batteries, and help the UK increase its battery recycling rate.
Last year, UK collections of batteries such as those found in mobile phones, torches, toys, cameras and laptops fell just short of the 45% collection target. It is estimated that there are 20,000 tonnes of batteries languishing in drawers that could be recycled, but which will eventually find their way into general waste and landfill.
Earlier this year, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) urged more consumers to take batteries to collection points after a number of batteries caught fire during domestic collections. This Autumn, Ecosurety collaborated with environmental charity Hubbub on a campaign called #BringBackHeavyMetal to encourage more consumers to take their unwanted or spent batteries to retailers to be recycled.
Robbie Staniforth, commercial manager at Ecosurety, and one of the instigators of the plan to add additional recycle points, comments: “Ecosurety is pleased to help strengthen the UK’s battery recycling infrastructure. There are so many locations that now accept batteries, but consumers need to be aware where they can easily take their discarded batteries, especially if they are concerned about how to dispose of them correctly themselves.”
Linda Crichton, head of Recycle Now, said: “Our ambition with the Recycling Locator is to make it easier for everyone to know where they can recycle any item in their area; and by adding more than 1,600 battery recycling locations to the Locator, Ecosurety is helping us to achieve that goal – ultimately reducing the number of batteries going for disposal.”
Recycle Now was set up in 2004 by WRAP to encourage recycling in the home and recyclenow.com offers a wide range of advice for consumers. The Recycling Locator tool informs consumers where they can recycle specific items in their local area.
Many retail companies must, by law, provide provisions for free battery takeback if they sell or supply more than 32kgs of consumer batteries a year – the equivalent of four AA batteries per day. More information on which companies fall under this obligation, can be found here.
