Forum Topic

What to do with your Old Electricals

Lots of info on the different ways to deal with and how to recycle your electricals now that many people will have updated or have had a sort out during the holidays.Make sure you match your chargers and leads to their equipment so that you don't recycle parts of items that you'll later regret... Mark them so mark them so no-one will get carried away in their de-cluttering enthusiasm.  You could spend ages trying to replace them online.https://www.recycleyourelectricals.org.uk/

Philippa Bond ● 1332d18 Comments

Yes, there is an electricals bank together with a much used shoe bank opposite South Ealing tube station ie on the other side of the road just outside the entrance to Maytrees Rest Garden. We've had to go several times in order to find space in that shoe bank.  The Salvation Army clothes bank further down outside Wickes' car park and near the Coop also takes shoes.Please bag clothing and tie shoes together if you use these banks.The Acton Recycling Shop even further down on the opposite side of the road now seems to take and sell clothes and some other things (I saw some haberdashery) but wasn't interested in any furniture.when I visited recently.

Philippa Bond ● 1313d

I mean opposite the station, not outside. That's just paper/a normal bin.By the little rest garden.

Simon Wycombe ● 1315d

Viridor Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) CrayfordThis is where LBE used to (and may still) send our Blue wheelie bin recycling.  There is a video which will show you what happens at an MRF.https://www.viridor.co.uk/waste-and-recycling/recycling/material-recycling-facilities/I believe that Viridor have now sold this MRF to a Dutch company.

Philippa Bond ● 1323d

Yes, that is where I reckon the charger for my electric toothbrush was taken whilst I was away on a travelling light weekend with the toothbrush!  Mark up your chargers and cables with what they are for folks - it saves a lot of strife!The electricals bin outside South Ealing tube will only take small electricals.  Try taking larger ones to wherever you buy your new one for as a like for like.  Check each retailer as you also don't have to do this at the same time.If you put your postcode in you will be able to check out the retailers nearest to you.www.recycleyourelectricals.org.ukRemember that you can also sell or giveaway working electricals and there are charity shops which will take some of these. Check with them first.Fill in the questionnaire about repairing electricals so that there will be a bigger chance of creating more jobs in this sector.Manufacturers can often be found online and so can troubleshooting information and instruction books.  There are also many online shops for electrical spares and things like "universal' vacuum cleaner bags which will fit several vacuums etc.  All sorts of replacement parts.  Espares is one I've used a lot but there are others.There is an electrical repair shop in Acton Lane.  Any more?

Philippa Bond ● 1323d

there is an electrics recycling thing opposite south ealing station.

Simon Wycombe ● 1327d

It is a shame that our Waste Authority (WLWA) don't have more of those sort of special WEEE events (that one was 2018) - especially after Christmas.  They would be particularly useful for things like microwaves and computers which won't fit in the smaller electricals banks.  There is nothing to stop us all asking for them every so often.  The link I posted www.recycleyourelectricals.org.uk gives more info on recycling your electricals.  If you put your postcode into the box your nearest electrical recycling stores will show.  This is what it says for Argos at Ealing Broadway Centre:"Buying a new electrical or electronic item? Many retailers will now recycle the one you’re replacing for free.Some retailers will take back all your old electricals for recycling whether you're buying something new or not.Check individual stores for more details."  (+ more)However our blue bin recycling waste supposedly goes to an MRF (although I can't find a reference right now) to be sorted and I think there is already enough packaging. These Materials Recycling Facilities have moving belts which are overseen by workers who pull out stuff that should not be there.  Then the sorted packaging is sent to the various companies listed on the LBE website for smelting or whatever. There is a Citizens Science Survey which we should all be taking part in so that we can get more repairs done locally.www.bigrepairproject.org.uk. Take part even if you can't repair things yourself!

Philippa Bond ● 1329d

Actually, technically you can't - pope everything into your blue recycling bin that is - not officially anyway.The list of recyclables that the council is prepared to accept via this route is really quite limited:https://www.ealing.gov.uk/info/201171/recycling_services/280/household_recyclingThe council expects you to find alternatives for items not on their list on this page (as Phillipa has pointed out) or to take them to their own recycling centres.This link might also be of interest - West London Waste will have a WEEE collection point at West Ealing Library from 30th January –5th February 2018:https://westlondonwaste.gov.uk/events/west-ealing-weee-recycling-event/Personally, I completely agree with you that it ought to be possible to put a far larger range of items directly into the blue bin - including especially all WEEE marked equipment that will fit.

Tony Colliver ● 1329d

TRAID, which has a network of charity shop will collect and repair/recycle any small electricals for free if you book a collection at https://www.traid.org.uk/clothes-donations/shopdonations/

N V Brooks ● 1330d

That's brilliant.  Shame that you didn't manage to find another non working CD player with the requisite part in good order.  It is a shame that Ebay no longer has a wanted section.

Philippa Bond ● 1330d

I must admit that I did not as, in many cases I have either repaired, offered on FB for free for parts,recycled myself or offered on eBay as not working, for spares or repair with proceeds to charity. That seems to enable me to get rid of most items.  The only thing that has gone to Greenford in the past year was a cracking CD player where I knew exactly what was wrong with it but 5he single spare part needed was more than the cost of a new one :-(

N V Brooks ● 1330d

https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/19855953.taunton-transition-town-launch-repair-cafe-moose-hall/

Philippa Bond ● 1330d

So did you try out the two websites I mentioned by putting your postcode into their search boxes?www.recycleyourelectricals.org.ukwww.recyclenow.comThere is lots of information there.Chiswick residents should be contacting their Councillors if they have had a problem with Townmead Road.  According to the WLWA website it is open to other WLWA members.  Townmead Road have of course had a fire there not so long ago which is quite likely to have been caused by batteries which can be easily damaged.  There is more on batteries in the Recycle Your Electricals info.I was surprised to see a wheelie bin for packaging in the Coop.  I have not been for a couple of years and it is new to me.

Philippa Bond ● 1330d

A circular economy for white goods remains a pipe dream while Ealing fails to support any initiatives and has actively made it more difficult to recycle. Hounslow are even worse with Chiswick residents having to go to Feltham for their only recycling centre now that Townmead Road has become far fussier about address checking.

N V Brooks ● 1331d

There are much more accessible places to recycle your small electricals in Ealing than the Household Reuse & Recycling Centres - there are some electrical recycling banks eg there is one opposite South Ealing Station.  This is like a shoe bank and you cannot put anything large in it so don't struggle to try. In Hounslow small electricals are collected kerbside.You can pay a small amount to have your old washing machine collected when your new one is delivered.  There are websites where when you put your postcode in you will be told the nearest places to recycle your electricals are.Lots of shops like Robert Dyas and Curry's will take back your electricals.www.recyclenow.com has been updated with more places so just put your postcode in to find out more.Sometimes there are Repair Cafes where you can get help in mending some electrical items.  Hopefully these will start up again.  Some charity shops take electricals.  They are not allowed to sell them unless and until they have been inspected and tested.We are moving towards a Circular Economy ie away from Buy Use Chuck.

Philippa Bond ● 1331d

The irony is the Stirling Road recycling centre in Acton was sold to be converted into storage units. Presumably for all those unwanted electrical items....

Simon Hayes ● 1331d

Ealing should have taken a close look at what Sutton have been doing for years. Proper recycling centres where perfectly good items are retrieved, tested and resold or auctioned.Almost everything and anything.But Ealing far more keen on feeding developers desires over quality of life and sensibility.

Raymond Havelock ● 1331d

I actually find new copies of %he Guardian equally useful for 2rapping rubbish. Phillipa is spot on about checking and double checking before you dispose 9f chargers and connectors. Once recycled a power cable for an external hard drive with a weird proprietary connector and a sealed case. Took ages and £30 to source a new one

N V Brooks ● 1331d

Philippa is spot on about recycling.However, it is sometime sadly necessary to wave goodbye to a much-loved electrical item, such as a broken kettle or washing machine.Unfortunately, Ealing Council has sold off its rubbish dumps to property developers (this is so they will have some extra cash to pay their new “chief executive” £200,000 per year). This means that it is now almost impossible for normal people to recycle things.The good news is that you can pop everything in your blue recycling bin. Large items can be carefully dismantled using a 4lb lump hammer. Don’t forget to wrap the bits up before placing them in the bin. An old newspaper, such as the Guardian, is perfect for this task.

David Marshall ● 1331d