Old electricals

[Newchodge]

I have finally got around to sorting out my electricals box. You know, that place where you put electrical items you no longer need, cables, phone box/modem adaptors, keyboards etc etc. Is there anywhere I can send them to be reused, or should I just dump the lot at the local coincil tip that has an area for elctrical 'recycling'?

 

[Lucan Unlordly]

Curry's recycle old tech. Some stores have a large basket at the front of store to put larger items, printers etc., in. I think they take smaller items.

For me it's a win win as we now have to book a space at our local tip a week ahead.

 

[DontAsk]

The question is about reuse, rather than recycling. It's common for larger items of IT kit, but cables and keyboards I am less sure of.

 

[WaveJumper]

I had a similar problem spent ages looking for places in the end some items went to the local Salvation Army Centre, the rest to the local council recycling centre and a selection of my old mobile phones (still in their original boxes) are now residing in the Mobile Phone Museum in Reading

 

[IanSuth]

I had a similar problem spent ages looking for places in the end some items went to the local Salvation Army Centre, the rest to the local council recycling centre and a selection of my old mobile phones (still in their original boxes) are now residing in the Mobile Phone Museum in Reading

Where is that mobile phone museum ? (i live in Reading)

We tried to give the museum a comptometer years ago when we were clearing out an office and they had no interest at all (they are incredible mechanical adding machines and a competent operator could sum a column of figures far far faster than with an electronic calculator as you can enter digits simultaneously rather than sequentially as happens on a calculator)

 

[Ozzy]

In (West) Northamptonshire our local tip have a section just as you drive in where they take old electrical equipment which is recycled/reconditioned. Pretty good round here, no need to book a slot as can just turn up - but queue on Bank Holidays.

 

[WaveJumper]

Where is that mobile phone museum ? (i live in Reading)

We tried to give the museum a comptometer years ago when we were clearing out an office and they had no interest at all (they are incredible mechanical adding machines and a competent operator could sum a column of figures far far faster than with an electronic calculator as you can enter digits simultaneously rather than sequentially as happens on a calculator)

Mobile Phone Museum

We are a not-for-profit entity created to safeguard the rich history and design diversity of mobile devices which have been launched over the last four decades.

www.mobilephonemuseum.com

 

[WaveJumper]

Strange just noticed no address on website but I sent them here:

Mobile Phone Museum
9 Donnington Park
Donnington
Newbury
RG14 2DZ

 

[DontAsk]

In (West) Northamptonshire our local tip have a section just as you drive in where they take old electrical equipment which is recycled/reconditioned. Pretty good round here, no need to book a slot as can just turn up - but queue on Bank Holidays.

I lived in Towcester for a few years. Once accidentally threw my car keys in a skip with the rubbish at the tip. Luckily it was a small skip and they were visible.

Most tips will recycle electricals. We can also leave small items out with the recycling bin.

The queuing system was wonderful. It's still officially in place but no one uses it any more. Tip usage doesn't seem to have bounced back to pre-lockdown levels as we haven't had to queue for a long time.

 

[Lucan Unlordly]

Pretty good round here, no need to book a slot as can just turn up

We had a fridge to get shot of.

I drive past our recycling centre 5 times a week but as the days and times change I couldn't book a slot. Instead I had to do a 12 mile round trip 2 weeks later.

The reason given is that vans take a long time to unload. Absolutely no consideration given to it's load being a single item, a mattress, wardrobe, fridge etc., and nothing else.

I've gone from a diehard recycler to someone that puts everything including metal in the household bin.

 

[Ian J]

Hang on to them as you never now scart leads may make a comeback

 

[WaveJumper]

I think the booking system for the recycling centres (local councils have all seem to adopted) are just a precursor for future charges ..... call me cynically.

 

[DontAsk]

I think the booking system for the recycling centres (local councils have all seem to adopted) are just a precursor for future charges ..... call me cynically.

Charges are already in place in many places, even pre-covid when booking was introduced.

I know someone who cut up a fence panel into 4 pieces to get it in his car and they wanted him to pay for 4 items.

 

[Nick@Daydot]

We had a fridge to get shot of.

I drive past our recycling centre 5 times a week but as the days and times change I couldn't book a slot. Instead I had to do a 12 mile round trip 2 weeks later.

The reason given is that vans take a long time to unload. Absolutely no consideration given to it's load being a single item, a mattress, wardrobe, fridge etc., and nothing else.

I've gone from a diehard recycler to someone that puts everything including metal in the household bin.

There's actually somone who advertises in our local FB group (Slough) that they come and take away old fridges and freezers for free.

 

[Lucan Unlordly]

I think the booking system for the recycling centres (local councils have all seem to adopted) are just a precursor for future charges ..... call me cynically.

I'd be happy to pay a small nominal sum for a small load of stuff that I can't get in the car, is not enough for a skip, can't empty in the bin and can't take up the recycling centre as I dropped a fridge off less than a month ago!

 

[Mark T Jones]

call me cynically.

I wouldn't call you any other way!

 

[WaveJumper]

Just to clear a couple of loose ends up here:

1, Council here used the excuse of queues at the local recycling centre to introduce a booking system, in my humble opinion this was not called for, and whilst others seem to like the system again personally I feel this is yet another monitoring "system" brought in by local councils on who's doing what and when. Yet another department has your personal details, car Reg etc.

2, I think the booking system is a precursor to the councils charging you a fee which will see fly tipping already a problem increase.

3, They already have introduced a fee this year for collecting the green bins, again I think this is a cheek.

4, Yes if you can't get that fridge / freezer or other large item in your car then yes there are plenty of services availble who will come and pick it up from your house, be it the one recommended by the council, local charity or other. However people generally have the option of having items such as fridges etc taken away buy the companies supplying the new item, albeit at a small charge, but you probably going to pay someone if you can't fir it in your car.

I feel I pay enough council tax already without them suddenly adding further costs for services already provided.

Signed
Cynically

 

[Lucan Unlordly]

Yes if you can't get that fridge / freezer or other large item in your car then yes there are plenty of services availble who will come and pick it up from your house, be it the one recommended by the council, local charity or other.

Yes, but the council charges £24 for large items, £12 for any additional items, and won't collect from Flats or commercial premises. The item is to be left outside one's property, which is ok if you have a frontage, impossible if not.

I think the booking system is a precursor to the councils charging you a fee which will see fly tipping already a problem increase.

A smaller centre around 10 miles away was closed with directions to use the nearest larger one. Fly tipping went through the roof. Not the large scale full van kitchen refit stuff, but a lot of black bin liners chucked in the hedgerows.
I think the booking systems help with staffing rotas but are not made with the customer in mind. Most folk have the common sense to know that Saturday early afternoons they'll be queues.

 

[BaileyLeblanc]

Personally, I never throw anything away. I think these are the consequences of my poor childhood, but if I had a bunch of wires and other stuff, I would leave it in my garage.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

Personally, I never throw anything away. I think these are the consequences of my poor childhood, but if I had a bunch of wires and other stuff, I would leave it in my garage.

FFS If I did that I would have an airfield full of useless junk

My childhood was very basic but there are limits and times are different now