New Year’s resolution - recycle e-waste

Clear your sheds and cupboards of old electronic gadgets.

From Boxing Day, an advert on e-waste recycling will be shown to 34 million viewers in the UK, running for four weeks on the television network UKTV (channels include Gold, Watch and Yesterday).

Residents in the Scottish Borders will be encouraged to use the post-Christmas lull to clear out sheds, cupboards and recycle electronic waste (e-waste).

The 30-second film aims to increase public awareness of the need to recycle waste electronics, such as washing machines, fridges, televisions and electronic gadgets - anything with a plug or battery.

The film shows how e-waste, that is diverted from landfill, can be sent for recycling so that its materials can be recovered for use in new products. The advert encourages us not to throw old electrical equipment into the bin, or to store it away, but to take it to local recycling centres instead.

Weee Connect, an industry partnership of the UK's largest e-waste recycling schemes and recycling companies, has funded the 30-second film. European Recycling Platform (ERP), which manages the recycling of e-waste for Scottish Borders Council (SBC), is a founding partner in this industry alliance. Non-financial support came from the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) whose 'Recycle Now' branding is used in the film.

E-waste is the fastest growing waste stream in the UK. Raising public awareness of this type of recycling is particularly important as changes to legislation could mean that the UK will have to meet substantially higher e-waste collection rates from 2016.

You can find your nearest recycling centre.