Lambeth Council leader, Councillor Claire Holland
Cllr Claire Holland, the leader elect of Lambeth Council, said: “I’m delighted this is being introduced across Lambeth. I know our residents are passionate about environmental issues and want to contribute to our borough-wide efforts to tackle climate change and achieve carbon net-zero.
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“As outlined in Lambeth’s Climate Action Plan reducing our waste can help us save money, and sharing and repairing items rather than buying new and throwing away can bring us together and create stronger communities.
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“Recycling is so much better for the planet than digging up new materials, so I’d encourage all our residents living in kerbside properties to take part in this new, more convenient, service.”
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The new service, introduced under Lambeth Council’s new waste contract with Serco, helps residents who want to recycle broken small electrical appliances that may be clogging up drawers and cupboards.
To take part the items must fit inside a standard-sized carrier bag and put on top of your recycling bin on the day of your general waste and recycling collection.
Used batteries will also be accepted as long as they’re taken out of the electrical items being discarded, and put inside a separate carrier bag, also on top of the bin. This applies to all products apart from laptops, tablets, mobile phones and electric toothbrushes – you can leave the batteries inside these items.
Due to limited space on the refuse vehicles, a ‘little and often’ approach is encouraged. If items aren’t taken away immediately, we ask you to please remain patient and try again the following week, when we’ll prioritise your collection.
If you live in a block of flats or housing estate, you can bring your old broken electrical appliances and batteries to one of our Reuse and Recycling Centres, either at Vale Street in West Norwood or Smugglers Way in Wandsworth. You can also visit www.recycleyourelectricals.org.uk, enter your postcode, and find your nearest electrical recycling point for a variety of electronic and tech items.
It’s really important to recycle, but it’s even better to reuse electrical items. Lambeth residents can do their bit by ensuring pre-loved electrical items are used to their full potential before discarding them.
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There are many ways in which residents can safely and sustainably recycle their electrical items, such as donating to a charity shop, Lambeth TechAid or Freegle, or taking them to a tech shop for refurbishment.
Often the place where the item was purchased will take it back for refurbishment. If items are too large for a standard-sized carrier bag, residents are asked to book a bulky waste collection or take them to a local refuse and recycling centre.
For more information on this service and other collections run by the council, visit the Lambeth website.
