Does it have a plug, cable or battery? If so, it is recyclable!
Any electrical item with a plug, cable or battery is recyclable. Many of them may also be suitable for reuse or have the potential for repair.
Electrical items can contain materials such as gold, copper, aluminium, steel, silicon and plastic. If you recycle your electrical items, it is possible to recover these materials and use them for another purpose. If an electrical item ends up in landfill, these materials will be lost.
For example, a pair of headphones may contain leather, steel, silicon, plastic, gold, copper and magnets - all of which are recyclable and reusable.
From lamps to laptops and phones to power tools, learn more on the Recycle Your Electricals website about which electronics are recyclable.
Do not put electricals items in the household waste bins
You must not place electrical items, batteries or vapes in the household waste bins. They can cause fires, health and safety issues and damage our equipment. In 2023, we dealt with 10 fires in our collection vehicles.
Prepare your electrical items before disposal
The Recycle Your Electricals website has a guide on how to prepare your electrical items before recycling, donating or selling. It covers about transferring, backing up and deleting data, removing batteries and SIM cards etc.
How to recycle your electrical items
Visit the Recycle Your Electricals website
Use the electrical recycling locator tool on the Recycle Your Electricals website to search for recycling locations by place and type of item.
Council services
We also offer three different options for Peterborough residents to recycle of electrical items, batteries and vapes. Click one of the links below to find more information:
How electrical recycling works
Ever wondered how electrical recycling works? Check out the Recycle Your Electricals website's guide to electrical recycling.
Other options for disposing of electrical items
The Recycle Your Electricals website has tips on donating, selling or repairing electrical items.
How to start selling your electricals online: nine top tips - Recycle Your Electricals
Retailer take-back scheme
Under The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2013, distributors / retailers of electrical and electronic equipment must offer in-store take-back of waste electrical equipment on a one-for-one, like-for-like basis.
If you're buying a new electrical item, such as a kettle or a toaster, you can now recycle your old one at the same store for free. Some retailers may offer to take away your old electrical item when delivering a new version to your home.
The Recycle Your Electricals website has a guidance page on how the retailer take-back scheme works.
Problems caused by electrical waste
Discarded electricals (also known as 'e-waste') are one of the fastest growing sources of waste in the UK.
Electrical waste also causes other issues:
- Fly-tipping
- Carbon emissions
- Battery fires
- Fast-tech - small, cheap, everyday electrical items that have a short life-span such as headphones, earphones, fairy lights, vapes - What is FastTech? - Recycle Your Electricals