Helping North Tyneside Council to communicate the waste batteries and WEEE recycling message to local residents
Valpak is currently working with North Tyneside Council to try and boost recycling and collection rates for both Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and portable waste batteries. These items are often incorrectly disposed of in general waste and can cause damage to both the environment and human health.
Also, portable waste batteries pose a fire risk if they end up in bin lorries or at Material Recycling Facilities, and half a dozen examples of fires have been reported during 2020 in the Northeast region, and two at GAP, a local WEEE Recycling Facility. The main culprits are lithium ion batteries that are used to operate EEE products such as e-cigarettes, and portable devices such as vacuum cleaners and hoverboards.
Valpak has part financed the livery of several bin lorries which carry messages, aimed at householders, to communicate that waste batteries and WEEE do not belong in waste bins and that they should be recycled.
We will communicate the impact of this campaign in coming months.
We were keen to increase the number of battery recycling points throughout our borough to make it easier for residents to recycle their batteries, and also highlight the risks associated with the incorrect disposal of batteries. Valpak part funded new bin wagon signage and were able to provide us with battery recycling containers for many public buildings. We are very grateful for Valpak's support, which has enabled us to significantly reduce the number of batteries ending up in landfill.