Recycle your old electricals in your blue bin

Many of us are already recycling everyday items such as newspapers, cans and plastic bottles.

But did you know that old and unused electrical items can also become useful again?

Coleraine Borough Council launched its electrical goods waste campaign last week to mark annual Recycling Week.

Council is encouraging residents of the Borough to recycle any small electricals that do not contain glass in their blue bins.

From kettles and toasters to electric toothbrushes, hairdryers, curling tongs, shavers and even those old power tools lurking in the garage, anything with a plug, uses batteries or needs charging, can be recycled in your blue bin.

Each of us accumulates three new electrical items each year on average. That's 160 thousand in Coleraine Borough Council area alone, but we find it harder to let them go as only one in five of our small electricals is recycled.

Fiona Watters, Council's Recycling Officer, explains, "Three out of every four of us have at least one old or unused electrical item at home which could be recycled to help save precious resources.

"Many of these items contain important plastics and metals that can be recycled to make new products. One old toaster can provide enough steel to make 25 new cans."

Larger electrical items such as vacuum cleaners, video players, Hi-fi's, printers, lawnmowers, strimmers, cookers and those that contain glass including televisions, microwaves, food mixers, laptops and computer monitors, can be recycled at your nearest Coleraine Borough Council Recycling site.

Coleraine Borough Council Recycling Sites are located in Coleraine, Portrush, Portstewart, Garvagh, Kilrea and Castlerock. Sites are open Monday to Saturday from 8.30am to 9.15pm until September when opening times change. For information on recycling please visit www.colerainebc.gov.uk/recycle or phone Technical Services Department on 028 7034 7272. Visit Recycle Now website at www.recyclenow.com