WEEE bring banks rolled out in Cambridgeshire

Three Cambridgeshire councils have become the latest local authorities to roll out bring banks for small waste electrical and electronic equipment in a bid to increase the relatively low collection rates for the waste stream.

Banks are being installed across Cambridge city, Huntingdonshire district and South Cambridgeshire council areas by Waste Recycling Group under a five year contract which began on April 1. The deal, which has the option to be extended for a further three years, is the companys first providing small WEEE bring banks.

In total six banks are being installed initially at what the waste management company dubbed high-footfall destinations such as shopping centres and major food retailers. But, a spokesman for the company said that, if the scheme was as successful as they expected it to be there would be the potential to increase that number.

Bring banks are proving to be an increasingly popular collection route for small waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). And, the prospect of tougher European WEEE recycling targets could see its importance increase further.

Participation rate

WRG expects the Cambridgeshire scheme to have a high participation rate, allowing residents to easily access facilities to recycle small WEEE without having to travel to household waste recycling centres.

The companys commercial manager, Gordon Fergus, said: Were delighted to be able to support this committed group of local authorities in boosting their recycling performance and at the same time raising the standards of convenience and choice for residents who are keen to increase their own recycling activities.

WRG also highlighted the contribution the material collected via the banks would make to the councils recycling rates, as well as diverting hazardous materials from landfill and also, potentially, allowing reusable goods to be returned to the community.

Cambridge city councils recycling officer Rebecca Weymouth-Wood said: The new banks will make recycling small electrical appliances convenient for city residents, who previously may have thrown items into their refuse bins or taken a longer journey to a County Recycling Centre.

The material collected in the banks is being handled by West Yorkshire-based WEEE recycling company Sunersol, and the REPIC compliance scheme is also involved in the initiative.