Information on Loughborough

New rules power up battery recycling

Posted on 25/02/2010

Leicestershire Councty Council

11 February 2010

New rules power up battery recycling

Recycling batteries has become much simpler, thanks to new rules.

This month, legislation came into force meaning that any retailer who sells more than 32kg of batteries each year – that’s about one 4-pack of AA batteries a day - has to offer an in-store recycling service.

Around 600 million uk household batteries (22,000 tonnes) - the equivalent weight of 110 jumbo jets - are sent to landfill unnecessarily every year. The average home uses 21 batteries over 12 months, all of which could be recycled.

Residents can also take batteries to any of the County Council's 14 recycling and household waste sites.

People can also recycle a variety of household items at the 14 sites including electrical items, Tetra Paks, yoghurt pots and used cooking oil.

Every year, they handle more than 100,000 tonnes of waste and currently more than 70 per cent of this is recycled or re-used.

Tony Kershaw, County Council Cabinet Member for Waste Management, said: "We want to alert residents to the new rules which make it much easier to recycle batteries and should also help cut the amount of waste sent to landfill.

"Batteries are also one of a number of household items which can be recycled at our 14 recycling and household waste sites.

"Residents can pick up a new, easy-to-use guide listing the wide variety of household materials people can recycle from selected libraries across Leicestershire."

At this time of year, recycling and household waste sites are open from 8am until 6pm, seven-days-a-week.

For more information, please visit www.leics.gov.uk/waste or call 0116 305 0001.