According to Dell computers 50% of Brits are now recycling their waste electric and electronic equipment (WEEE) properly. That does of course mean that there is still another 50% who need to be educated to do likewise.
Dell has recently undertaken a study of 5,000 people in the UK, France, Italy, Spain and Germany and amongst the findings, although 80% of Germans regularly recycle their WEEE, 50% of the 1,000 British people surveyed said they didn’t.
The British people in the survey were also the most unaware of initiatives to help reduce the amount of WEEE being discarded and heading for landfill sites.
The former Friends of the Earth Director and Independent Sustainability Advisor Tony Juniper said, "These findings show a clear need to drive awareness with consumers around the mounting issue of e-waste and its serious implications to health and the environment."
Having said that British consumers have started to recycle mobile phones, with internet searches in the UK for terms such as recycle mobile phones, mobile phone recycling and phone recycling having risen by just under 200% over the 12 months to 16th May 2009. One such site is www.fonebank.com, one of the most popular mobile phone recycling websites.
Meanwhile, Dell is doing what it can to help the situation having recently placed a formal embargo on sending its waste electric and electronic equipment (WEEE) to developing countries as they don’t have the regulations in place or the ability to properly recycle.
For more information visit WeeeCare (www.weeecare.com).
Where can I sell my mobile phone? Why not recycle mobile phones for cash at www.fonebank.com. Trade in your old mobile phone now.