WITH more people than ever expecting the latest in hi-tech gadgetry for Christmas, Gloucestershire’s waste team is urging people across the county to recycle their old electrical items.

The Joint Waste Team is urging residents to pay the county’s Household Recycling Centres a visit if they have gadgets to dispose of after the festive holiday.

Electronic waste is the fastest-growing waste stream in the UK, with experts suggesting the future will see more of the same.

Smart phones, tablets, e-readers, digital cameras, next-generation games consoles and electronic toys, such as Furbies, are high on the UK’s Christmas wish lists this year.

In many cases, these items will be purchased to replace a broken item or to upgrade to the latest version.

Sending electrical gadgets to landfill poses significant environmental problems yet redundant items can be easily recycled at the dedicated banks provided at the HRCs.

Most gadgets contain small amounts of precious metals, so it is important that these are recovered where possible.

Some items may also contain hazardous substances such as lead and arsenic and while the use of mercury has declined in recent years, it can still be found in circuit boards and older electrical items.

Heavy metals are especially harmful to human health and, if not properly managed, will persist in the environment with a risk of eventually reaching the food chain.

Chairman of Gloucestershire’s Joint Waste Committee Cllr Jim Mason said: “Often the best environmental solution is to repair items which are broken but this is not always practical or cost-effective.

“Recycling is the next best option. When any material is properly recycled it means fewer raw materials are needed to make new items. This is extremely important if we are to reduce carbon emissions which contribute to climate change.

“Waste electrical and electronic equipment, known as WEEE, encompasses a wide range of gadgets and goods. If the item has a plug, contains a battery, or needs to be charged in some way - even if this is a small or non-replaceable part - it can still be recycled.”

Electronic waste is the fastest-growing waste stream in the UK. Experts at the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) estimate that in the next six years UK consumers will purchase 10 million tonnes of electronic goods.

Gloucestershire’s Household Recycling Centres are open every day (with the exception of Christmas Day and New Year’s Day). The HRC at Swindon Road, Cheltenham is also closed on Boxing Day. Alternatively, householders can recycle their WEEE items by returning them to electrical retailers who offer a free in-store take-back scheme.

To find out more about how and where to recycle over Christmas, including full opening times for the Household Recycling Centres, visit www.recycleforgloucestershire.com