Electrical items that are battery operated, have a mains cable or need recharging can all be recycled.

Items taken to the County Council's sites are separated for recycling - a typical iron contains enough steel to make 13 food cans and plastic recycled from small household appliances such as a kettle can be re-used in games consoles or hairdryers.

By raising awareness and encouraging households to recycle their small waste electrical items, we’re helping reduce the amount that ultimately goes to landfill."

For more information call 0116 305 0001.

Leicestershire County Council has joined forces with Recycle Now to launch the "don't bin it bring it" campaign, helping you to recycle your unwanted electrical items.

For more information about recycling electrical items and to find your nearest collection site visit www.dontbinitbringit.org

Unwanted electrical items can be recycled at any of the 14 Recycling and Household Waste Sites throughout Leicestershire

Like most people you probably put out your recycling but what about your old electricals?  Research has shown that three out of ten of us say we have never recycled a small electrical item.

Getting rid of unwanted electricals means that they don't have to go to waste - recycling recovers really valuable resources contained in each item.  For example, one iron contains enough steel to produce 13 steel cans, and enough plastic to make 95 yoghurt pots.

You may wonder what kind of appliances can be recycled?  As a general guideline if it has a plug, uses batteries or needs recharging it can be recycled.  That includes everything - personal care such as curling tongs and electric toothbrushes, old gadgets like videos and CD players, and DIY tools like jigsaws, sanders and drills.

If an item has a crossed out wheelie bin symbol this means it shouldn't be put in your household waste bin - it can be recycled!

The number of electrical products being recycled in Leicestershire has rocketed since the County Council launched a campaign in March urging residents to recycle small unwanted products such as toasters and kettles.

In April 2009, over 200 tonnes were collected - that's the equivalent of 27 double-decker buses and a huge 50% increase on the previous month.

Electrical items taken to the County Council's sites are separated for recycling - a typical iron contains enough steel to make 13 food cans and plastic recycled from small household appliances such as a kettle can be re-used in games consoles or hairdryers.

Tony Kershaw, Cabinet Member for Waste, said: "This innovative competition is a great way of encouraging residents to recycle old electrical appliances such as toasters and kettles.

"People are already bringing more items to their local sites and we'd like to thank them for their hard work and encourage them to keep on recycling."

Electrical items that use disposable batteries, have a mains cable or need recharging can all be recycled.

For more information, or to find the nearest recycling and household waste site call 0116 305 0001.