Recycling centre staff have been reaching out to Devon residents, encouraging them to bring in electrical items that could be saved from going to waste. Once separated, these items are picked up from the recycling centre and taken to a newly created electrical testing hub.
Suez has said that a trained member of staff will then sort through the goods, clean the items and conduct a safety and function test, before pricing the item based on their condition.
A real array
As the hub gains more traction, the range of items collected so far vary. Items include TVs, monitors, audio equipment, guitar amps, vacuum cleaners and games consoles.
Suez said that since September 2023, the hub has tested and saved 720 items from going to waste and are now being used again by Devon residents.
DCC and SUEZ have said that they are constantly looking into new items which can be recycled, or even better, reused. As a result, they said that from the 2022/2023 financial period,” a record 1,246 tonnes” were sold for reuse through the shops across Devon.
According to Suez, this is the equivalent weight of “around 85 double decker buses or 240 African Elephants”.
Affordability
Both of the organisations involved stated that affordability is also at the heart of this initiative, stating that not only does it encourage sustainable consumption habits and reduce waste, but “enhances affordability” of the items reused.
Councillor Roger Croad, Devon county council cabinet member for public health, communities and equality, said: “When you next visit one of our recycling centres you may be asked if the item you have is still working. It’s all part of our commitment to ensure that as many items as possible that can still be used are refurbished to be used by others.
“Repairing instead of throwing away reduces waste, conserves resources, and saves money.”
James Taylor, operations manager at Suez, commented: “Devon’s commitment to waste reduction shines brightly with the addition of small electrical items now available for resale and reuse at our shops.
“With fully trained staff capable of testing and cleaning these items, we’re able to provide more opportunities for Devon residents to find pre-loved treasures while also offering valuable training in new skills for our team.”
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