A pacesetting recycling drive in West Sussex has scooped national award

The campaign has led to West Sussex residents recycling an average of 11 kg (about 22lbs) of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) per person - almost twice as much as the national average.

It won the Electrical and Electronic Recycler of the Year category at the National Recycling Awards.

The awards recognise the achievements of recycling and waste management projects across the country from both the public and private sectors. 

The drive got underway in July 2007, following new legislation that enabled residents to recycle all WEEE goods, from cookers to mobile phones, at West Sussex County Council’s network of 11 Household Waste Recycling Sites (HWRS).

The sites, which are operated by Viridor, provide easily accessible and dedicated containers for all unwanted electrical goods, identified with colourful pink signs. The collected items are subsequently recycled by approved treatment facilities.

Phillip Russell, the County Council’s Head of Waste Management, said: “The success of the drive reflects the fantastic cooperation that exists between the County, Viridor and our community.

“The response from public has been outstanding. The end result is 8000 tonnes of recovered materials that would otherwise be destined for landfill. “

Derek Whittington, County Council Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, said: “This initiative goes a step further in our quest to become leaders in waste prevention and recycling.”

Bill Griffiths, National Recycling Manager at Viridor added: “I’m delighted the judges have recognised that the system we’ve put in place at the HWRS network is collecting significant quantities of electrical goods. The benefits are helping to conserve valuable resources and divert materials away from landfill.”