BDR Waste Partnership

5 September 2022

Could your home contain hidden gold?

An estimated five million tonnes of electronics are thrown in the bin every year in the UK – but we can think of four good reasons to save them!

• Many unwanted items still work
• Someone might thank you for a device they could not afford to buy new
• Stop precious resources, such as gold and silver, going to waste
• Good for people and the planet

A recent survey estimated there were 40 million unused tech gadgets hidden away in our homes – from mobile phones, tablets and laptops to televisions and games consoles. Many of these products contain precious metals in the electronics.

The average UK household has 20 unwanted electricals gathering dust. If we passed these on to charities, they could make a big difference to people’s lives.

Waste experts at the Barnsley, Doncaster, and Rotherham (BDR) Waste Partnership and Renewi, the firm behind the household waste treatment facility at Manvers, are encouraging everyone to hand on unwanted devices rather than throw them away.

Community Education Officer, Abi Reid, who is based at Manvers, said: “It would be great if more unused, but working devices, could be passed on to help someone who may not be able to afford a new product.

“Incorrect disposal of electronics also means that the valuable, precious metals and materials they contain are lost. These metals can be recycled into new things. By recycling our old electricals, we could cut as much CO2 as taking 1.3 million cars off the road.”

Many of the devices contain batteries which can be dangerous if thrown away in general household waste or recycling bins. The batteries can cause fires and explosions, posing a hazard to waste workers and may leak hazardous chemicals, contributing to water and air pollution.

If devices are no longer working:

• Sell them as spares and repairs
• When you are buying a new gadget, see if they have a trade in scheme where they send broken gadgets straight to recycling
• Take them to the Household Waste Recycling Centre where they can be disposed of correctly
• Small unrepairable electrical items like kettles, toasters, hairdryers, and electric toothbrushes should be taken to an HWRC. Larger items like televisions and dishwashers often come with a take back scheme where for a small cost, and sometimes free, they will take your old one away when your new one is delivered

For more information check out www.recycleyourelectricals.org.uk and the blogs on www.wasteless-sy.co.uk

Note to Editors:  The award-winning waste treatment facility at Manvers processes around a quarter of a million tonnes of leftover waste a year from 340,000 homes across Barnsley, Doncaster, and Rotherham, turning it into useful products rather than sending it to landfill.

For further information contact Abi Reid or Rebecca Wilson on 07814 302297 or abi.reid@renewi.com or rebecca.wilson@renewi.com