How did "WEEE" do?

Nearly 12 tonnes of old and broken small electrical items were collected by county school children in a special recycling initiative.  

The initiative, known as an Eco Day, was organised by Leicestershire County Council, Sims Recycling Solutions and DHL Envirosolutions.

A total of 49 county schools took part with children bringing along unwanted Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) such as old irons, toasters, remote controls, kettles, unwanted computer equipment, hairdryers and battery powered toys.

The WEEE collected filled 60 containers and was transported by Sims Recycling Solutions and DHL to Sims’ electronics recycling facility in Daventry for recycling.

Richard Blunt, County Council Cabinet Member for Waste Management, said:  We would like to thank all the children and their families for taking part in this initiative and bringing in their old and broken gadgets for recycling. It really is a great effort.”

Sims Recycling Solutions’ Richard Shaw said:  We are delighted with the results of the Eco Day which educated many children in Leicestershire about the importance of recycling WEEE and saw just under 12 tonnes of WEEE diverted from landfill.

We hope that as a result of this initiative more people in Leicestershire will clear out their cupboards of old, unwanted or redundant electrical items and send them for recycling rather than throwing them out in their wheelie bins.

The WEEE collected has now been recycled and the precious metals and plastics have been recovered and send to manufacturers to re-use in making new products.”

Karl Greig, General Manager, WEEE operations at DHL Envirosolutions, said:  It'’s brilliant to see how successful this project was and how much effort the schools and children made in recycling their broken and unwanted WEEE. We look forward to holding eco days in the future.”

- Redundant or old small electrical items can be taken to the county's recycling and household waste sites. For more information on these visit:  www.leics.gov.uk/recycling_household_waste_sites

Schools that took part in the initiative:

New Swannington Primary, Coalville

Mercenfeld Primary School, Markfield

Swannington CofE Primary, Swannington

St Claires Catholic Primary Coalville

Holly Cross Community Primary, Whitwick

Hugglescote Community Primary, Coalville

Warrenhills Community Primary, Coalville

Belvoirdale Community Primary School, Coalville

All Saints C of E Primary , Coalville

Sir John Moore Primary

Ibstock Junior School, Ibstock

Ashby Willesley Primary School

Ellistown Primary School

St. Winefride's Catholic Primary, Shepshed

Robert Bakewell School, Loughborough

Belton C of E PrimarySadlers Wells, Belton

De Lisle Catholic Science College, Loughborough

Sacred Heart School, Loughborough

Oxley Primary School, Loughborough

Brownlow Primary School, Melton

Kegworth Primary School, Kegworth

Boothwood Primary School, Loughborough

Kibworth High School

The Merton Primary, Syston

Church Hill Infant School, Thurmaston

Redhill Field Primary, Narborough

Church Langton Primary School

Dunton Bassett Primary School

Groby Community College, Groby

Gilmorton Chandler CE Primary school

Milfield Primary, Braunstone Town

Kingsway Primary, Braunstone Town

Ravenhurst Primary

Market Harborough C of E Primary

Great Bowden Primary Great Bowden

Whetstone St Peters Primary School

Billesdon Primary School

Bringhurst Primary School, Bringhurst

Weavers Close Primary, Earl Shilton

All Saints, Sapcote

Mount Grace high School, Hinckley

St Marys Primary School, Hinckley

Sharnford Primary School, Sharnford

Hastings High School, Burbage

Huncote Primary School

Desford Primary SchoolDesford

Redmore High School, Hinckley

Burbage Junior School, Burbage

Stoke Golding, Stoke Golding