Hillingdon Council is encouraging recycling during Recycle Week (16 to 22 October) with the introduction of new small electrical recycling points in nine libraries across the borough.
The initiative, aimed at increasing the recycling of small electrical items, is in partnership with Material Focus, a not-for-profit organisation that has generously funded the scheme.
Residents in Hillingdon now have an added convenience to recycle their small electrical items, including broken kettles, hair styling appliances, and electric children’s toys, through the newly introduced pink collection bins.
These bins are strategically placed in libraries including Botwell Green, Ickenham, Manor Farm, Northwood Hills, Ruislip Manor, Uxbridge, Yeading, Yiewsley, and Oak Farm.
The council aims to educate residents about items that should not be included in household recycling but can be recycled through alternative means.
Common recyclables for council collections include paper, plastic pots, tubs, trays, detergent bottles, aerosols, cans, foil, books, paper, Tetra Paks, cartons, and bottle/jar lids. However, certain household items such as clothes and textiles, batteries, electrical items, food, and liquids cannot be included in the dry mixed recycling collections.
Hillingdon’s waste and recycling team will host three recycling roadshows in Uxbridge, Ickenham, and Ruislip during Recycle Week. These roadshows will offer residents an opportunity to learn more about recycling habits, reducing contamination, and finding effective ways to recycle more and waste less.
The council has already witnessed positive outcomes from its recycling efforts. Food waste collections have increased by 17 percent between 2021/22 and 2022/23, indicating a growing participation in the council’s free weekly food waste collections among kerbside properties.
West Drayton resident Rachel Rizzo and her sons, Enzo, aged 11, and Theo, aged eight are keen recyclers. Rachel said: “The boys love to get involved with sorting the recycling while I make sure that it’s all clean and dry.
“Weekly collections help us to stay on top of everything and the council website is great for checking anything we’re not quite sure about.”
Cllr Eddie Lavery, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services at Hillingdon Council, said: “We are committed to creating a green and more sustainable borough for future generations and our new small electricals recycling scheme in libraries provides another opportunity for residents to recycle and reduce the environmental impact of disposing of general waste.
“Thank you to all Hillingdon residents for their ongoing recycling efforts. We’re seeing more households recycling year on year which is fantastic.
“We can all play our part in driving recycling rates up even further, so please do take the time to check that you are recycling correctly and doing all you can – every little helps.”
