Recycling centres open for business after Christmas

People who got new electrical items such as mobiles or laptops for Christmas can recycle their old models at household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) in North Yorkshire.

New, enclosed containers are now in place at 15 HWRCs owned by North Yorkshire County Council and managed by Yorwaste, including Tadcaster and Selby.

The new containers are clearly signed to show that they can accept the following small items - laptops, tablets, games consoles, mobile phones, digital TV boxes.

County Councillor Andrew Lee, Executive Member for Waste Management, said: “Residents have been asking for a way of disposing and recycling their old laptops and mobile phones without putting them in open containers.

“The new containers clearly show the new items of modern technology that can be accepted. We would, of course, always advise people to remove any personal data before they dispose of any items.”

Other small and large electrical items can still be recycled on site within the open containers, but the new containers allow residents to recycle small items more easily.

Rachel Stewart, Yorwaste’s HWRC Operations Manager, said: “People may not realise the wide range of old and broken electrical items that they can recycle, even things such as electric toothbrushes and hair dryers.”