Recycling

Recycling and WEEE

Recycling facilities are now available for all customers at which you can deposit your old electrical products. This is a requirement under UK and European legislation (The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment – or WEEE – Directive).

The aim of the legislation is to;

• Make good use of the materials that make up old electrical equipment by recycling rather than disposing in landfill.
• Prevent the negative environmental effects of sending often hazardous electrical equipment to landfill.

From January 1^st, 2021, KRCS will be able to accept 'like-for-like' items for recycling when a consumer purchases a replacement item from us. From there, KRCS will work with our recycling partners to ensure the equipment is recycled as efficiently and with as little environmental impact, as possible.

How does this work in practice?

Customers will be able to take any 'like-for-like' (i.e. an old laptop or desktop computer when purchasing a new iMac, or an old charger and cable when purchasing a replacement) equipment to a KRCS retail store, either at the time of purchase, or up to 28 days after, with proof of purchase, and KRCS will then arrange for this to be collected and recycled. Please note, KRCS cannot be held responsible for your personal data and we highly recommend that you take the time to erase all personal data from your device before handing it over for recycling. Apple have guides for how to erase iOS devices here and Mac OS devices here.

Please note, schools and businesses must continue to make their own arrangements for the recycling of old electrical equipment and the above only applies to consumer purchases, where a consumer may otherwise struggle to find a safe way to recycle their electronic waste.

Other information

UK households dispose of over 1.2 million tonnes of electrical and electronic waste every year. This is the equivalent of 150,000 double decker buses and would be enough to fill the new Wembley Stadium 6 times over. Electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) contains materials, parts and substances which can be harmful to the environment and detrimental to human health if not disposed of correctly.

Much of the UK's electronic waste ends up in landfill sites, where toxins put communities at risk. Failure to segregate any type of recyclable material in the home will usually result in items being disposed of in a landfill site (buried in the ground in the UK) or being incinerated.

Where should I dispose of electrical equipment?

Wherever practical, old electrical waste should not be disposed of with your household waste. You can locate your closest participating collection site at https://www.recycleyourelectricals.org.uk/ (please remember to have your postcode to hand).

To remind you to recycle, all new electrical products are marked with a crossed out wheeled bin symbol. Essentially, anything with a plug, battery or cable can be recycled or reused! The materials from recycled electricals can be re-used in anything from children’s playgrounds to lifesaving equipment and almost anything you can imagine in between. Together we can help stop precious, limited resources from being wasted, save lives and the environment.

We’re proud to be working with the national Recycle Your Electricals campaign. Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is regulated by the UK Government. Find out more here.