Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment, Good Practice Guidance
Whilst Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) recycling activity is firmly established in the UK, its collection and treatment is a rapidly growing and evolving sector. WRAP research reveals that the average household has 3 old or broken WEEE items stored in the home, therefore there are millions of items out there just waiting to be collected…
Providing support and guidance
Resource Futures is drafting Good Practice Guidance for the collection of WEEE, involving a review of collection practices at designated collection facilities, at the kerbside, and by retailers such as Comet and Argos. From online surveys to in-depth telephone interviews, and with site visits from Sussex to Inverness, the research conducted for this project has been truly comprehensive. The project will improve the way in which WEEE is collected, and along with the treatment good practice, it aims to increase the quality and quantity of reusable and recyclable materials, whilst preventing WEEE leakage from the system.
Raising awareness
There is huge potential to recycle all the old WEEE items stored in the home, and with over two-thirds of us wanting more information about what to do with old electrical items, communications campaigns can have a huge impact on the number of WEEE items being collected for recycling. Resource Futures has been running a series of roadshows throughout Cheshire incorporating resources from WRAP’s “Don’t Bin It, Bring It” campaign. This has proved to be a highly effective method for encouraging the public to start recycling their small electrical items.
Keeping people informed
Resource Futures manages both Resources North, a forum aiming to create a more sustainable region by sharing knowledge and best practice and the National Household Hazardous Waste Forum, a membership-based organisation seeking practical solutions to problems associated with household hazardous waste, including WEEE. A recent event successfully brought the forum members together to hear from a range of speakers in order to learn more about running WEEE awareness campaigns and involving the third sector in WEEE reuse and recycling.