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What to do with old electricals

Man changing fuse in lamp plug.

Monday 6 July 2020

Every year an estimated 2 million tonnes of electrical items are thrown away in the UK. These are products that either have a plug or need batteries to work.

Repair electrical items where possible

If your electrical items are still working but you no longer want them, then it's easy to find a great cause to pass on your electrical items.

From time to time, electrical items will stop working. Wherever possible, it’s best to try and fix items before getting rid of them. This may mean contacting a professional or even learning the skills yourself. If this is not for you then use the search option above. Enter the item and your postcode to find where you can recycle your broken electricals and spent batteries – it’s that easy!  

Recycle electrical items at your library

Many libraries in Essex have a small battery recycling box, which accepts household batteries (such as AA, AAA, 6V and D batteries) and batteries from mobile phones and laptops. Speak to library staff for more details.

Larger batteries such as those from cars can be recycled at an Essex County Council recycling centre, as long as it is from your own home or car.

The following libraries have a wheeled container where you can recycle any broken electrical items. Please place items, including cables, into the container loose wherever possible.