Annual review

Highlights and impacts from over the last 12 months

Recent research and industry briefings

We continue to fund a range of technical research, and created industry briefings to improve reuse and recycling.

  • cardboard box full of electrical devices ready to return to retailer on light blue background

    Retailer takeback: an industry briefing for retailers

    All electrical retailers are legally obliged to help customers recycle their electricals. Material Focus outline the legal obligations simply and explain what retailers need to do to comply with them.

    Find out more
  • dark blue measuring tape twisted across the image on pale blue background

    Improving measurement: an introduction to new metrics

    Material Focus’ new research has identified a range of metrics that could improve the way the UK measures and assesses the efficiency of its waste electricals and portable batteries systems.

    Find out more
  • multicoloured vapes scattered on a pale blue background

    Vapes recycling: An industry briefing for retailers and producers

    Vape e-waste has become a hugely talked about issue over the past few months. Material Focus explain how vapes are adding to the e-waste problem, and how vape producers and sellers can comply with their legal environmental obligations.

    Find out more
  • a tangled ball of multi-coloured cables tightly wound with ends poking out, against pale blue background

    Opportunities and challenges: Business electrical waste

    A deep dive into the UK’s business electrical waste showed over 200,000 tonnes being throw away annually in the UK. And highlighted the need for more work in this area.

    Find out more

12 million more UK residents

are benefitting from our investment in 60 projects. This will provide a variety of recycling drop-off points from kerbside to schools, community centres and and on-street bring banks.

Read about funded projects
Graphic of a map of the UK showing pink pin points of where Material Focus is working

Working in partnership with other organisations is key to achieving our mission. To date we’ve worked with over 200 partners.

Building public awareness and confidence

One in three people across the UK say they’re not confident on what to do with their unwanted electricals. We’re changing that with our award winning campaigns. Over three million people say they have started recycling their electricals in the last two years.

  • close up of a tamagotchi - an electronic toy pet

    Fast Tech

    An astonishing 471 million pieces of FastTech end up in UK landfill each year. They’re part of over 100,000 tonnes of e-waste we throw away annually, and we still have a staggering 880 million gadgets gathering dust at home.

  • a top shot of about 20 different sorts of domestic bateries

    Never bin hidden batteries campaign

    Our Never bin hidden batteries campaign, saw great engagement levels, with over 70 local authorities involved in some capacity. From sharing our social media assets both internally and externally across their channels, getting involved in our battery fire research to personalised advertising campaigns across the UK.

  • ‘HypnoCat’ (a magenta-coloured Persian cat with blue spiral eyes) leaning on a blue dustbin and electrical items floating in a blue spiral background.

    HypnoCat

    HypnoCat recently made his debut on TV bopping along to a hypnotic catchy trance beat with mesmerising lyrics that you won’t be able to get out of your head.

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