Wakefield, Pontefract and Castleford urged to recycle their electricals through new project

Cllr Hemingway with Robyn Downs from Renewi at Morrisons, Pontefract with one of the new electrical recycling banks. Picture - supplied

The new locations have been unveiled this week and together they hope the district’s 350,000 residents will get behind their drive to recycle more electrical items.

The project has been funded with £33,300 from Material Focus, the not-for-profit organisation leading the Recycle Your Electricals campaign. It is one of more than 40 in the UK funded by the Electricals Recycling Fund, which will make it easier for 10 million people around the country to recycle their electricals.

In the Wakefield district, you will now find electrical recycling points in all Council-run libraries and at the following bring sites:

Planning a pre-Christmas sort out? Picture – supplied

– Asda Wakefield

– B&M Normanton

– Cluntergate car park, Horbury

– Co-op Ossett

New electrical recycling points in every library and at 15 bring site locations across the district. Picture – supplied

– Featherstone Rovers rugby ground

– Kellingley Social Club

– Lock Lane sports centre, Castleford

– Minsthorpe leisure centre, South Elmsall

– Morrisons Dewsbury Road, Wakefield

– Morrisons Pontefract

– Ryhill sports and social club

– St Michaels House, Wakefield

– The Travellers Rest, Featherstone

– Upton Arms

– West Bretton Memorial Hall

Electrical recycling points can also be found at:

– Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) at Wakefield, Glasshoughton and South Kirkby

– Tesco Hemsworth

– Co-op Ackworth

– Asda Glasshoughton

The recycling points are suitable for any electrical items around the size of a microwave or smaller. Anything bigger should be taken to an HWRC.

Anything with a plug, battery or cable can be reused or recycled and turned into anything from children’s playgrounds to life-saving equipment.

Another good reason to recycle electrical items properly is that many have hidden batteries inside that can cause fires in the bin lorry or recycling centre if put in household bins.

The aim of the nationwide Electricals Recycling Fund is to significantly reduce electrical waste and its environmental impact by making it easier for people to recycle their electricals.

Cllr Jack Hemingway, Wakefield Council deputy leader and cabinet member for the environment, said: “We know most people in the Wakefield district want to recycle as much of their waste as they can.

“We want to make it as easy as possible for them to do that, with an electricals recycling point in every community.

“Recycling old electronics is better for the planet and the economy, by reusing valuable resources like metals.”

David Heseltine, Contract Director of Renewi Wakefield, said: “Renewi hope this project will make it easier for Wakefield district residents to recycle electrical items by increasing recycling locations across the district to 27 sites. We are very grateful that our project was chosen for funding by the Electricals Recycling Fund and are hoping to see a reduction in the amount of electricals we find in household bins.”

Scott Butler, Executive Director of Material Focus, said: “We are thrilled to support Wakefield Council and Renewi’s project that addresses the pressing issue of e-waste. 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.”

If you’re having a pre-Christmas clear-out, bag up your electricals and search ‘Recycle Your Electricals’ to find your nearest recycling point.