What to do with your old electricals

Repair

Before recycling broken gadgets, see if you can get them fixed.

• Check out local repair shops for items like phones and computers, and repair services for large appliances like dishwashers
• Take small items to a local volunteer-run Repair Café – we are lucky to have a great network of these locally
• If you fancy repairing it yourself, get support at iFixit or check out repair videos on YouTube

Donate

If your item still works but you no longer want it, someone else can use it.

• Gift your old smartphone through Community Calling
• Pass on your computer, tablet and lots of other IT equipment (working or not) via WEEECharity.
• Pass on any item with Freegle, Freecycle, Gumtree or local Facebook freebies groups.

Sell

You can also cash-in on your unwanted electricals.

• You can get most value by selling peer-to-peer on sites like eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Zapper or Shpock

Recycle

Can’t sell, repair or donate it? Anything with a plug, battery or cable can be recycled.

• If you are buying a new one, large appliances can usually be taken away for recycling by your retailer. You can also have them collected by the council by booking a bulky waste collection, or take them to a Household Recycling Centre.
• Small electrical appliances can be recycled at:
  • Household Recycling Centres
  • Recycling banks for small electricals at Fawcett Road, Glebe Farm Drive and Hawkey Road in Cambridge. Please note that smoke detectors, light bulbs, e-cigarettes, batteries, paints, chemicals or aerosols are not accepted in these banks. We are currently working to install similar banks in convenient locations around South Cambridgeshire
  • Curry’s PC World in-store
  • Participating Repair Cafes. Check information for your local event.

You can find out more about recycling electrical items at Recycle Your Electricals.