Batteries and fluorescent tubes can now be taken to seven centres in Hampshire and two in Southampton and Portsmouth for safe disposal and recycling.
The centres are already licensed to accept other hazardous household waste and have provided collection points for items such as amateur garden chemicals and cleaning products. The scheme started on April 1, 2003 and collected 5 tonnes of hazardous household waste in its first year, which was sent for safe disposal by pyrolysis.
Councillor Keith Estlin, Hampshire county council's executive member for the environment, said: “Collections of household batteries and fluorescent tubes are very rare indeed in this country and I'm sure Hampshire residents will respond as positively as ever to this extremely worthwhile service.”
Tonnages
The batteries will be collected by Loddon Holdings, based near Alton in Hampshire. After sorting the batteries into their different types the specialist company will transport them to France for reprocessing and recycling.
David Ward, a project officer in waste management at the council, told letsrecycle.com: “Based on an earlier trial I expect each HWRC to produce in the order of 45 kg of batteries per month. My estimate for 2004/05 is that approximately 6 tonnes of mixed household batteries will be collected for recycling.”
For batteries, a further six household waste recycling waste centres will join the collection scheme later this year.
Mercury Recycling will transport the fluorescent tubes and lighting equipment to its Manchester premises for full recycling. Mr Ward said: “The expected quantity that will be collected in 2004/05 is more difficult to predict. I would estimate in the region of 2 – 5 tonnes.”
Hazardous waste
In addition to these specific hazardous waste collections at certain centres, all 26 centres in Hampshire have facilities to collect car engine oil for reprocessing and recycling and seven centres have a special container for cement bonded asbestos to be safely landfilled.
Mr Ward said that Project Integra is currently waiting for guidance from the government as to what provisions it will need to provide to collect waste electrical and electronic equipment at its household waste recycling centres.
Project Integra currently recycles and composts 25% of Hampshire's waste and has a government target to recycle 40% by 2006
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