Camden residents recycle, reuse and put cash in their pockets
Date: 16/01/2009
Where: Camden Town post office, 114-120 Camden High Street, Camden Town.
When: Tuesday 20 January, 11am.
Unused mobile phones, MP3 players and more can now be turned into spare cash through a new scheme aimed at boosting recycling figures for electrical items.
Camden Council has teamed up with Royal Mail to pilot the new Simply Drop project which makes it easier for people to recycle selected electrical items and batteries and earn extra money for themselves or for charity while they do it.
Through Simply Drop, items, including mobile phones, digital cameras and MP3 players can be posted back to the Royal Mail free of charge.
Phones and other items recycled by post will earn recyclers at least £5 – depending on whether the item is working or not - and in some cases up to £120.
A total of 10 per cent of all profits will go to the children’s charity Barnardo’s, and users can also choose to donate their payment to a charity, including Great Ormond Street Hospital, Cancer Research UK and the Alzheimer’s Society.
These items can also be recycled at 18 Post Office branches across the borough and in Camden libraries. Five Camden schools are also taking part in the scheme, and will use any money raised for special projects.
Camden residents will soon receive degradable plastic envelopes for posting through their letterbox. Used batteries can also be posted back for recycling at no cost in separate envelopes.
There are an estimated 80 million old mobile phones cluttering up people's homes, unless these are reused or recycled there is a danger they could end up in landfill, taking hundreds of years to breakdown and potentially leaking dangerous chemicals into the surrounding environment as they do. Each year 600 million batteries also go into landfill in the UK.
Camden Council Leader Cllr Keith Moffitt said:
"This exciting scheme is the first of its kind for recycling small electronic items. It will not only help keep unwanted items out of landfill sites, it will also help bring in extra cash for residents after the holidays - even the postage is free."
Cllr Chris Knight, Camden Council's Executive Member for Environment, said:
"Simply Drop also encourages reuse and component recycling which is so important because it means less of the world’s finite resources will be used and less energy used in manufacturing. I'm delighted so many schools are taking part which will help get children into the recycling habit early."
Royal Mail's Environmental Marketing Manager, Matthew Neilson, said:
"Royal Mail is taking seriously it’s commitment to the environment through a wide range of actions. With Simply Drop we are making it easier for people to recycle a wider range of items as well as earn themselves some cash from items currently languishing at the back of cupboards and drawers. Royal Mail wants to connect people, and Simply Drop enables us to connect the public with electronics recycling organisations willing to pay for suitable items. The scheme provides a win-win: it is good for consumers, good for recyclers and good for the environment."
Ends
Notes to editors:
Camden schools taking part are: St Alosysius Catholic Junior School, Holy Trinity & S Silas, Hampstead School, Holy Trinity (NW3) and Argyle Primary School.
By using Royal Mail’s existing distribution network Simply Drop ensures additional miles aren’t travelled to transport items for recycling.
A large proportion of the items collected for recycling will be refurbished or their component reused in other electronic items. Where items or components cannot be re-used (including batteries) their materials can be extracted and used to make new items. Any materials left over after this process will be safely disposed of.
Full details of the scheme, including how much items are worth and the Post Office® branches involved, can be found on the website www.simplydrop.co.uk
The pilot runs until 30 April 30. Residents can expect to receive the specially produced environmentally friendly polylope through their door from 19 January.
Lynn
Ref Code: PR 619 020 7974 5717
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Page last updated Jan 16, 2009 4:02 PM
Contact Camden 020 7974 4444