Government research has shown that the average UK male owns 12 battery powered gadgets, and the majority fail to recycle their old batteries when they are spent.
The Department for Environment Food and Rural affairs has done research into gadget use, as it tries to push its new recycling service for batteries brought about by the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009.
Apparently, despite the average British male owning a dozen battery-powered gadgets, 63 per cent of the group throw their batteries away when they are spent – and 97 per cent of those disposed cells end up in landfill.
New legislation
New legislation means that shops and online retailers now have to offer facilities to recycle batteries with any retailers selling more than 32kg of batteries a year having to comply.
Most supermarkets and many high street shops will have collection points, as will some town halls, libraries or schools, says Defra.
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Hilary Benn, said: "This new legislation will make it easier for consumers to do the right thing whilst ensuring retailers fulfil their part of the bargain.
"Old batteries can cause harm to the environment when they are not recycled. The new approach to disposal of batteries will help to reduce the number of batteries that now end up in landfill."
Your comments (6) Click to add a new comment
jmace86
February 11th 2010
6. If they want us to recycle our batteries maybe they should make it a bit easier to do so. I have absolutely no idea where I can take my spent batteries in order to have them recycled. I have never seen a battery recycling bin.
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scottgilbert
February 11th 2010
5. cjusher@4 the recycle bin at boots is for used condoms.
That a fact
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cjusher
February 11th 2010
4. I was curious to recently see a recycle box on a counter in Boots, now I know why.
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dvs
February 11th 2010
3. Thinking about it, why don't Duracell design a battery recycling bin that looks like a large Duracell? It'll be obvious what it is and will be advertising at the same time. They can state that all batteries are accepted to avoid any confusion.
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dvs
February 11th 2010
2. I noticed a collection bin at Tesco yesterday. First time I have seen it though and it wasn't obvious it was a battery bin.
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rimscar
February 11th 2010
1. I`m all for this initiative, but i`ve yet to see a collectio bin in Tescos. If there is one i can't see it.... :)
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