Batteries - bubblewrap

Batteries

• Avoid buying battery-operated gadgets and toys if possible.
• Run radios and clocks from the mains whenever possible.
• Aim for appliances that use renewable energy: a wind-up radio or torch, dynamo bicycle lights or a solar powered calculator.
• Or use rechargeable batteries and a battery charger. This saves energy because the energy needed to make a battery is on average 50 times greater than the energy it produces. You can buy rechargeable batteries/chargers from some supermarkets  and specialist shops such as City Electrical Factors Ltd, Address: Unit 4, Inner City Trading Estate, 40, Couper Street, Glasgow, G4 0DL, Telephone: 0141 552 8991.

How to recycle

• Contact suppliers and manufacturers to enquire about take-back schemes. A full list of manufacturers can be found on REBAT website Telephone: 0800 7833 516.
• Some retailers such as DIY shops and supermarkets have in-store battery collection points (e.g. Ikea takes both used light bulbs and batteries).
• Batteries can also be recycled at civic amenity sites, where the metals are removed during re-processing.

Did you know? Batteries have been identified by the EU as a priority waste stream needing urgent action to lessen its impact on the environment. As a result, a new Batteries Directive is due to come into force in 2011. It aims to reduce the environmental impact of the manufacture, distribution, use and disposal and recovery of batteries. It will reduce the quantity of hazardous and non hazardous waste batteries going to landfill and increase the recycling of the materials they contain. By 2012 producers must collect a quarter all those they put on the market.

Car batteries

Car batteries should be disposed of carefully as they contain sulphuric acid, which is a hazardous substance. By recycling car batteries, components such as plastic, lead, acid and distilled water can all be used again.

Car batteries can be disposed of at civic amenity sites. 

Find out more

• The Environment Agency: The EU Batteries Directive
• Waste Aware Scotland/Recycle - batteries
• Waste Online: Batteries
• WRAP - battery recycling information

Bicycles

You can donate your unwanted bikes to charities such as The Common Wheel Project, a small charity that recycles old bicycles and provides therapeutic activity for people with mental illness. Address: 53 Chapel Street, Glasgow, G20 9BD, Telephone: 0141 946 0777, Email: commonwheel.org@googlemail.com

Old bicycles (and aluminium cans) can also be donated to Community Can Cycle, a voluntary organisation based in Castlemilk which provides a free bicycle repair service for local residents. Address: Unit 4a, 179 Drakemire Drive, Drakemire Industrial Estate, Castlemilk, Glasgow, G45 9SS. Telephone: 0141 630 1015 E-mail: lovecancycle@btconnect.com

Books

Books are ideal for swapping and recycling. You can donate books to most charity shops or to your local library. Or why not try a book swapping website? like http://www.readitswapit.co.uk/

Bottles and jars

Before throwing glass bottles and jars into the recycling bin think how they might be reused. Save suitable glass bottles and jars for jam or chutney making, or for storage.

Blue bins

If you have a blue bin, these are for recycling papers, cans, tins and plastic bottles. Find out more about blue bin recycling on the Glasgow City Council website

Did you know?  During 2006/2007 10,124 tonnes of papers, cans and plastic bottles were collected and recycled in Glasgow, thanks to blue bins. The paper was made into new paper products, cans into fridges and freezers and plastic bottles into new blue bins!

Brown bins

If you have a brown bin, these are for recycling grass cuttings, hedge cuttings, leaves, flowers, prunings, and dead plants. Find out about more about brown bin recycling on the Glasgow City Council website

Bubblewrap

Bubblewrap can be easily reused to wrap up valuables which are going in storage or being posted. If you can't reuse it, put it in with your normal rubbish.

Comments

[Liz McTeague]

Batteries: Morrison's on Fenwick Road, Giffnock, now have a collection point for used batteries (Oct'09).