Making recycling twice as easy

Dozens more old and broken kettles, hair dryers, toasters, DIY tools and irons will be given a new lease of life as the council doubles the number of collection points in the city.

Following the success of the ‘Bring banks’ for small electrical items introduced to the city last year, the council is setting up 10 new collection points. The new banks will make ‘recycling on the go’ easier for residents, especially those who find it difficult to get to the council’s household waste recycling centres.

The new sites can be found at:

  • Marine Cliffs Car Park, Rottingdean
  • Asda Marina
  • Whitehawk Family Centre
  • Leybourne Parade, Lower Bevendean
  • Withdean Stadium
  • Outside Hikers Rest P.H., Coldean Lane
  • Opposite 57 Ladies Mile Road, Patcham
  • Montpelier Crescent
  • Opposite The Glass Centre, 224-226 Portland Road
  • Goldstone Retail Park  

The scheme is being expanded by the council and Veolia Environmental Services, as part of a drive to encourage residents to reduce waste, and to recycle more.

Councillor Pete West, chair of the council’s Environment, Sustainability and Transport Committee said: “We are constantly on the lookout for new locations for recycling points so many more residents can easily recycle their unwanted items.

“The average resident accumulates three new electrical items each year but only one in five of our small electrical items gets recycled. Hopefully, with 20 bring banks now available across the city, we can change this.”

Electrical items can contain hazardous and toxic metals which can be damaging to the environment when thrown away. Recycling these items helps preserve natural resources and protect the environment. Some electrical items also contain valuable raw materials such as silver while others can be used to make other items. For example - one iron contains enough steel to produce 13 steel cans!

All small items, broken or usable, are accepted including toys, shavers, phones, DIY tools, mobile phones and kitchen appliances. They just need to be small enough to fit through the chute.

Existing Electrical recycling points can be found at:

  • Kingswood Street
  • Little East Street (east of Brighton Town Hall)
  • Whitecross Street
  • Regent Street
  • The Level, Union Road
  • Tisbury Road - outside Hove Town Hall
  • Upper Rock Gardens
  • Wickes DIY, Davigdor Road (Lyon Close)
  • King Alfred Leisure Centre Car Park
  • Norfolk Square, Western Road. 

Larger items can be taken to the council’s household waste recycling centres or collected using the bulky waste service featured on the council’s website.

The electronics will be collected and taken to Lewes to be chipped and then sent on to Lincolnshire for further granulation and sorting, producing various mixed plastic and metals.

For more information on recycling and reusing electrical items visit www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/cityclean