Please note: the WEEE collection trial has now finished. Broken and redundant WEEE items can be taken to the Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) on Wade Road where they will be separated and recycled. There are also local companies who can recycle your WEEE for you.
What was the WEEE collection trial?
Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council was working in partnership with a Hampshire company called Midex Reverse Technologies Ltd, on a year-long trial collecting Waste Electronic and Electrical Items (WEEE) and batteries. The collections covered approximately 48,000 households and were carried out quarterly – in July 2009, October 2009, February 2010 and June 2010.
This was an important trial to help prevent waste from being incinerated and has provided valuable information and statistics in the move towards a longer-term waste strategy.
Who was included in the WEEE collection trial?
Approximately 48,000 households were selected within the borough. We were unable to include some smaller villages and hamlets, isolated rural properties and flats in the trial.
I have some WEEE – can I contact the council to arrange collection?
You can take your WEEE to the Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) on Wade Road for free disposal. For larger items such as fridges and televisions, the council offers a scheduled bulky waste collection service. Please note that there is a charge for bulky waste collection. If you have good quality household items or furniture, including some electricals, they can be donated to the Community Furniture Project (Basingstoke) where they will be re-used. To arrange a collection, please call the council on (01256) 844844 or call the Community Furniture Project directly on (01256) 320700.
What was the purpose of the WEEE collection trial?
WEEE is one of the fastest growing waste streams in Europe today. Every year in the UK households throw away around one million tonnes of WEEE, putting a much greater strain on our already deteriorating environment. WEEE is made-up of materials which are in finite supply, such as metals and plastics, and so we should be reusing and recycling them wherever possible. This year-long trial will give us valuable data on how much of this waste we can divert from incineration, and allow us to assess how successful this method of collection is.
Who are Midex, and what did they do with my WEEE once it has been collected?
Midex Reverses Technologies Ltd has been established since 1993 and their Authorised Approved Treatment Facility (AATF) in Aldershot is audited by the Environment Agency. All of the collected WEEE is treated in strict accordance with the WEEE Directive. Anything that can’t be brought back to life (or used for spare component parts) is broken down; the plastics are set aside for collection by a specialist recycler whilst the remaining waste is shredded to less than 25mm. After separation, materials such as copper, steel and gold are reintroduced into the manufacturing process – helping to conserve the world’s natural resources.
Are Midex properly licensed to process the WEEE in the correct manner?
Midex operates within the law, and is fully licensed for all the activities they carry out. For further information and to see a copy of the relevant certificates, please visit http://www.midex-rt.com
Data Protection Notice
Please be aware that computer equipment left out for collection by Midex could be stolen. To prevent identity theft, please ensure that you have deleted all confidential and/or personal data on your computer before leaving it for collection.
For information on how to do this please go to http://www.killdisk.com/downloadfree.htm
