Funded projects making electrical recycling easier across UK

pale skinned woman talking to another plae skinned woman at a community event over a table with a kettle on.

What is the Electricals Recycling Fund?

At Material Focus we want to make it easier for people to reuse and recycle their electricals.

Our Electricals Recycling Fund supports projects that build on existing methods or test new, creative and practical ways of recycling household electricals.

Launched in November 2022, the fund is currently supporting over 40 projects – from expanding kerbside collections into new neighbourhoods and adding more recycling collection points, to fresh approaches on reusing and recycling electricals and awareness-raising campaigns.

What’s next?

The success of last years projects makes us all the more committed to supporting further projects. We are pleased to announce that applications for our 2024 funding has reopened for projects wanting to:

Test new and practical ways for people to repair, reuse and recycle their electricals

Introduce kerbside collections

Add more collection points and bring banks

Click here for more information about applying

seven large pink electrical bring-banks on the back of a flat bed lorry

Meet our 2023/2024 projects

Over the past 11 months, our latest round of funding has saved over 200 tonnes of waste electricals from landfill. Here are just a few of the projects making reuse and recycling easier for millions of people across the UK.

A large pink electicals collection bank in the foreground with the sea and blue sky in the background

ILM Highland

Since installing 7 bring banks in remote rural locations, ILM Highland have collected over 21 tonnes of waste electricals.

two pale skinned women and two pale skinned men standing behind a banner saying

Ashford Borough Council

Over 400 people repaired or recycled old electricals at 6 of Ashford’s tech amnesty days, as part of their innovative collection project.

two pale skinned women standing next to a large wheelie bin with the text

North Tyneside Council

In just 6 months, North Tyneside have recycled over 6.5 tonnes of waste electricals through their eight bring banks placed in council buildings.

A pale skinned council worker in orange standing in front to two bright pink electrical recycling wheelie bins with a waste lorry with a picture of Hypnocat on the side

Joint Waste Solutions Surrey

JWS used HypnoCat to promote their new bright pink bins in local flats, making it easier for residents to recycle their electricals on their doorstep/from home.

two older pale skinned men leaning over a table inspecting an electrical repair

Hubbub Foundation UK

Hubbub are trialling their #RehomeYourElectricals project at two Community Fridge locations where residents can donate their unwanted electricals to be passed on to someone in the local community.

smiling pale skinned young man standing next to a bright pink electrical recyling bin with the lid open as he puts an old electric drill in there

London Borough of Hillingdon

Hillingdon set up new collection points in libraries and community centres for small waste electrical items and saved over 6 tonnes of e-waste from landfill so far.

a large vertical banner in en empty library which says

Newcastle City Council

Newcastle combined doorstep collections with pop-up recycling centres and have recycled over 5,200 items since launching in January 2024.

London Borough of Lewisham

Lewisham unveiled 17 new small electrical recycling banks across the borough at the beginning of March, ready for local residents to drop off their old and unwanted electrical items.

Interested in applying for funding in 2024?

Click here to go to our application page.

Apply for funding

Funded projects making electricals recycling easier across the UK

Communities across the UK are now able to reuse and recycle small electricals thanks to an array of brilliant projects funded by Material Focus. And there’s more funding on the way – read on to see if your project is a good fit.