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Try and hang on to your equipment for longer

Electrical items often require a lot of energy to manufacture, which contributes to climate change. They can also often contain harmful chemicals like lead, brominated flame retardants, cadmium and mercury. These can be harmful to people or wildlife if the item is not disposed of properly. Holding on to your equipment for longer means that you can help reduce these impacts, and can save you money.

Computers

• computers can often be successfully upgraded by increasing memory (RAM) or replacing the hard drive – which could give you the improvements you need without having to buy a new computer
• ask in a computer shop or search online to get advice, parts and technical help
• don't assume you need a new monitor if you do get a new computer – monitors contain toxic chemicals which are hard to dispose of safely and buying a computer without a monitor could save you money

Mobile phones
There is no need to replace your mobile phone every year. They contain valuable materials and can contain environmentally damaging substances:

• most phones will work for at least five years
• hanging on to your current phone can also save you money on monthly tariffs
• ask your phone company about the different tariffs they have available.

Find a new home for unwanted equipment

Unwanted electrical items, including cables and plugs, can often be re-used. Over half of electronic items thrown away are still working or could easily be repaired:

• try finding a new home for your item by using organisations like Freecycle, or donating it to a local re-use charity
• the Furniture Reuse Network has an interactive map which will find your nearest re-use charity, and many of these will take electrical goods
• council websites often list local charity schemes that accept electrical items
  

• Reducing waste, reusing and repairing
• Freecycle - find exchange projects in your area Opens new window
• Find a local re-use charity via the Furniture Reuse Network Opens new window

How to dispose of Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment

If you have to dispose of old electrical or electronic equipment, make sure it's recycled safely and avoid disposing of it with other household rubbish. This will help save resources and energy, and avoid harmful chemicals entering the environment.

When you are buying a new electrical or electronic item
When you buy a new electrical or electronic item, the shop you buy it from must either:

• take back the item you are replacing
• collect it when they deliver the new item
• or inform you where you can take the item for recycling free of charge (this is part of the new Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment regulations (WEEE))
• some retailers offer a collection service for old items, but may charge for the collection

Other ways to recycle
If you are not buying a new item, then esisting options for disposal are still available:

• unusable old electrical and electronic items can be taken to your local civic amenity site (waste and recycling centre) where they will be recycled safely
• your local authority will collect bulky waste electrical items from your home, although they can charge for the service
• if you are recycling a computer, make sure you permanently delete all files and programs on the hard drive first

The following links will let you enter details of where you live and then take you to your local authority website where you can find out more.

• Request collection of hazardous waste Opens new window
• Find your local council

Types of product that are covered

You can tell which products are covered by the WEEE regulations by looking out for the ‘crossed out wheeled bin' symbol - this means that you should dispose of it separately from other household rubbish. Types of household electrical and electronic equipment that are covered include:

• large and small household appliances – for example, washing machines, freezers and vacuum cleaners
• IT and telecommunications equipment such as computers and mobile phones
• consumer equipment like radios and TVs
• electrical tools such as drills and saws
• leisure and sports equipment such as video game consoles

This covers products that use electricity for their main function. However, a gas cooker with a small electrical clock would not be WEEE, because the main function (cooking) is not electrical.

More useful links

• Waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE) - Environment Agency website Opens new window
• Bins and waste collection (home and community section)