A scheme that enables Hartlepool residents to recycle their unwanted or broken small electrical appliances is to continue following initial success.
Almost four tonnes of small electricals, including laptops and hand-held devices, hairdryers and toasters, have been collected and recycled since Hartlepool Borough Council launched a pilot scheme in May 2025.
It involved the creation of ten community drop-off points, and now it has been announced that nine of these are to be kept in place for a further year.
The pilot was one of more than 80 across the UK funded by Material Focus, the not-for-profit organisation leading the Recycle Your Electricals campaign. Together, these pilot schemes have helped make it easier for over 12 million UK residents to recycle their electricals.
The success of the Hartlepool pilot demonstrates how committed the local community is to recycling their small electricals, when simple recycling methods are made accessible.
The consistent local reminders from Hypnocat, the Recycle Your Electricals mesmerising pink, fluffy mascot, who featured in leaflets and on eye-catching posters, also helped to make locals aware that anything with a plug, battery or cable could be recycled and turned into something new.
Councillor Amanda Napper, Chair of Hartlepool Borough Council’s Neighbourhoods and Regulatory Services Committee, said: "I would like to thank everyone across Hartlepool who has supported this initiative and taken the time to recycle their unwanted electrical items.
“Collecting almost four tonnes of small electricals is a fantastic achievement and shows what can be accomplished when residents are given easy, convenient ways to do the right thing. By recycling electrical appliances instead of throwing them away, valuable materials can be recovered and reused, helping to reduce waste, cut environmental impacts and support a more sustainable future for our borough."
The nine drop-off points to be retained are at:
- Community Hub Central, York Road.
- Community Hub South, Wynyard Road.
- Seaton Carew Community Hub, Station Lane.
- Headland Sports Centre, Union Street.
- Throston Library, Wiltshire Way.
- West View Advice and Resource Centre, Miers Avenue.
- Brierton Sports Centre, Brierton Lane.
- Hartlepool Civic Centre, Victoria Road.
- The Household Waste Recycling Centre, Burn Road.
Research has shown that there are, on average, at least 30 electricals hidden away in drawers in UK homes, a total of 880 million items across the UK. With a simple repair, many could be donated or sold to people who could put them to good use and yet 39% of people bin electricals, rather than recycle or reuse them. This results in over 100,000 tonnes of electricals being thrown away every year.
Scott Butler, Executive Director of Material Focus, said: "The Hartlepool Electricals Recycling Initiative has proven that small electrical recycling is important to the area and its residents. We are delighted with how engaged and supportive the local community has been and how the investment from the Electrical Recycling Fund has enabled such a huge number of items to be recycled by this pilot. As e-waste is the fastest growing waste stream, we hope to continue to see a rise in the amount of electricals recycled across the UK.”