How to Properly Dispose of White Goods and Electronics

In a society where recycling has become the norm, it’s easy to find somewhere to put our metals and plastics. Disposing of electronics and white goods is an altogether different task, however, so you wouldn’t be blamed for not knowing what to do.

It’s something we all need to learn though. Since the initial WEEE Directive in 2006, the recycling of electronics and white goods has become much more widespread. And for good reason: electronics and white goods contain a number of harmful materials and chemicals – including arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury – which can cause illness or even death if disposed of incorrectly.

With that in mind, in this article, we’ll cover how to properly dispose of your electronics and white goods in a safe and legal fashion.

Recycle them

While electrical items and white goods can contain harmful materials, they can also contain metals, glass and plastics which can all be recycled. So as long as the item has a plug, charger or battery, it can be recycled. In line with WEEE regulations, recycling centres across the country have WEEE zones, where you can recycle all of your old electrical items. A quick Google search should reveal which centres near you offer the service.

There are even some manufacturers of electronic goods that have their own recycling schemes, so going down this route could well be the best option, especially if you would like to get some benefits in the future.

Local authority collection service

Your local council is actually obliged to offer a collection service for things like fridges, and they don’t charge too much, either (you can expect to pay between £20 and £40). All you have to do is move the fridge outside yourself prior to collection.

However, it’s worth considering that the response times for this service tend to be quite slow; you’ll probably be waiting at least a week or two. 

Sell or donate it

If you think someone might still want your electrical item, be it a fridge or an old iPod, you could always first try selling or donating it. There are a number of dedicated websites that reuse old, working appliances, such as Freecycle – or you could just simply give it to a friend!

However, if you would like to get some cash for your items, you could always try a second-hand online marketplace like eBay or Gumtree. Given that Gumtree is local, it’s particularly useful for white goods like fridges, simply list the item for collection and you won’t have to worry about delivery!

Here at Enfield Skips, we are enthusiastic about recycling being an integral part of our business. We always ensure we recycle as much as we possibly can from the waste we collect – we are proud to recycle 90% of the waste we receive, but hope to improve this percentage. Choose a skip hire company that aspire to make a difference and get in touch with us today!