London,
20
April
2009
|
23:00
Europe/London

Do the positive thing, recycle your batteries

A new battery collection service has been launched this month to help boost the recycling of household batteries in Hackney.

Every year an estimated 660 million household batteries are disposed of in the UK, which is equivalent in weight to 110 jumbo jet aeroplanes.

At present only two percent of these are recycled but new regulations, that will come into force later this year, requires 25 percent of all household batteries to be recycled by 2012, rising to 45 percent by 2016.

Although it is the responsibility of battery producers to establish recycling schemes, Hackney Council is supporting the drive to increase recycling and has led on launching the first collection points for household batteries within the borough.

There are now eight new, multi-coloured recycling bins located at libraries across Hackney. This will enable residents to conveniently deposit their household batteries for recycling. Once collected, battery components will be recovered and used for a number of purposes including making more batteries and in the steel manufacturing process.

Councillor Alan Laing, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said: “It’s great that we now have a service for all residents to recycle their batteries. Research shows that the average household uses 21 batteries every year, all of which could be recycled. To be able to capture these will have significant environmental benefits and support our efforts to make Hackney greener.”

The new bins can only accept household batteries. Vehicle or automotive batteries should be exchanged when purchasing a new one or taken to a Household Waste Recycling Centre, located in the neighbouring boroughs of Islington and Waltham Forest.

The recycled household batteries will be collected by Battery Back, for more information visit: www.batteryback.org. To find out more about the scheme contact the Council’s recycling hotline on 020 8356 6688.

Battery collection bins can be found at the following locations:

Stoke Newington Library, Stoke Newington Church Street, N16 0SS
CLR James Library, 24-30 Dalston Lane, E8 3AZ
Homerton Library, Homerton High Street, E9 6AS
Hackney Archive, 43 De Beauvoir Road, N1 5SQ
Hackney Central Library, 1 Reading Lane, E8 1GQ
Shoreditch Library, 80 Hoxton Street, N1 6LP
Stamford Hill Library, Portland Avenue, N16 6SB
Clapton Neighbourhood Office, 136-142 Lower Clapton Road, E5 (this will move to Clapton Library when refurbishment works are completed).