North Devon gets new recycling boxes for old batteries

12 March 2010

NORTH Devon Council is providing new recycling boxes for depositing batteries in locations across North Devon in order to reduce the amount going to landfill.

The boxes will be able to take a range of battery sizes, from watch batteries, AAs and AAAs, to the larger Ds, Cs and 4.5, 6 and 9-volt batteries.

People can also put batteries from mobile phones, laptops and power tools in the boxes.

Councillor Rodney Cann, the council’s lead member for waste and recycling, said: "We all use batteries, whether they're in our children's toys or in the TV remote control. So when they reach the end of their life, we want people to put them in these special boxes, instead of putting them straight in the bin.

“By placing them in the recycling boxes, they'll be taken away and recycled. Of course, it's better still if batteries aren't wasted in the first place, so if you're about to buy some, think about getting rechargeables instead."

The scheme is being managed by recycling company Valpak. The locations with recycling boxes include the Civic Centre, Barnstaple; the Amory Centre, South Molton; the Ilfracombe Centre; the Works and Recycling unit at Seven Brethren; Barnstaple and Lynton libraries; Petroc (formerly North Devon College), and a number of schools across North Devon.

Schools that would like to get involved in the scheme are asked to contact the Works and Recycling Service.

Around 600 million household batteries are thrown away in the UK every year. Only 3% of these are recycled. The remainder end up in landfill.

Since batteries contain acids and heavy metals, such as lead and mercury, they can harm the environment and wildlife when they break down and leak.

Do you want to use a fully licensed & insured house clearance company?

Do you want a reliable house clearance company that always turns up on the day & has never let a customer down? Click here & see what hundreds of our past customers have said about us.

We perform full house clearances, removing everything requested such as carpets, cookers, washing machines, all clutter & furniture. We also clear garages, lofts, office spaces and commercial buildings. If requested, we can also clean the property to help improve its rental chances or its selling appeal on the housing market.

Call us today on FREEPHONE 0800 0352653 or contact us via e-mail.

Click Here To Calculate Your Carbon Footprint