Kingston Council, in partnership with local enterprise ReLove Technology, today unveils its plans for the introduction of 15 new recycling donation drop off points, specifically for unwanted and broken electrical items, in the borough.
The new drop-off points have been installed, at libraries, leisure centres and community spaces with each location chosen to provide residents with an easy and accessible way to recycle. The two collection bins at each location will accept small broken electrical items that can be recycled alongside any working items with the aim to extend the life of the unwanted but usable tech. These will then be donated to support those who have little to no access to digital devices.
This is one of over 80 UK pilots co-funded by Material Focus, the not for profit leading the Recycle Your Electricals campaign, who have provided £27,996.94 to support this pilot. Kingston Council and ReLove Technology, are joining other pilots around the country in making it easier for 12 million UK residents to recycle their electricals.
It is estimated that almost 570 tonnes of electrical items are incorrectly disposed in the Kingston Borough.
This pilot reinforces Kingston’s commitment to creating a local circular economy and its work to try to keep electrical waste at a minimum by encouraging residents to share, repair, reuse, and recycle, thereby improving sustainability and reducing carbon emissions locally.
Small electrical items that can be recycled include household items like kettles and hairdryers or items like mobile phones, IT equipment, and other high-value devices can be donated to be reused. Donated items, if suitable for reuse, will be sold to raise funds or donated directly to local charities supporting digital exclusion in the borough. The rest will be stripped for parts to be reused where possible, or for materials to be recycled.
Residents will be made aware of how and where they can recycle their electricals through information on leaflets and on eye-catching posters featuring HypnoCat. Keep an eye out for HypnoCat, the Recycle Your Electricals mesmerising pink, fluffy mascot, who is on a mission to hypnotise local residents into recycling their electricals.
This pilot is part of the new 2025 funding for the Electricals Recycling Fund where Material Focus has allocated an additional £750,000. The aim of the nationwide Electricals Recycling Fund is to significantly reduce e-waste and its environmental impact by making it easier for consumers to recycle their electricals. The pilots that have been funded by Material Focus include a variety of recycling methods, from kerbside collections to more drop-off points in schools, community centres, and bring banks. Overall, there will be over 400 new collection points plus kerbside collections for 3 million residents – together helping 10 million UK residents to recycle their electricals.
Recycle Your Electricals research has shown that 80% of consumers believe recycling is a good thing, and many of us already recycle things like paper and plastic. Research has also shown that most of us have unwanted electricals we want to get rid of. On average there are at least 30 electricals hidden away in drawers in UK homes, a total of 880 million items across the UK – with a simple repair many could be donated or sold to people who could put them to good use. And yet 39% of people bin electricals, rather than recycle or reuse them leading to over 100,000 tonnes of electricals thrown away every year. The aim of these pilots is to overcome these issues by making it easier to repair, donate or recycle electricals.
Councillor Nicola Nardelli, Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Transport, Waste and Recycling, said, “We are delighted to see the new small electrical drop-off points appearing across the borough. As a council, we are always looking for sustainable solutions to tackle climate change and get us closer to our Net Zero target while also making it easier for residents to recycle small electrical items locally without having to make a trip to the Villiers Road HRRC. This will make a real difference in our neighborhoods as we support communities and local enterprises. This project is key to our commitment to growing a circular economy.”
Paul Crossman, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Relove Technology, said:
“We are proud to partner with Kingston Council and Material Focus to make it easier for residents to give their unwanted electrical and electronic products a second life. Too many working or repairable products are still discarded, contributing to the growing e-waste problem, even though they retain significant environmental, social and financial value.
“As a local business, this scheme is particularly meaningful to us. By placing accessible collection points across the borough, we can keep more electrical and electronic products in use, recover valuable materials and redirect suitable technology to charities supporting people affected by digital exclusion.
“Our belief is simple: reuse is the best form of recycling. This initiative will help turn unwanted electrical and electronic products into new opportunities for people, communities and the planet.”
“We are pleased to support the partnership between Kingston Council and ReLove Technology that addresses the pressing issue of e-waste.” said Scott Butler, Executive Director of Material Focus. “By investing in improved collection and drop-off services and exploring new recycling methods, we are taking a significant step towards creating a more sustainable future by making it easier for 10 million more people to recycle their electricals.”
To find your nearest recycling point search recycle your electricals
