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Newport Schools Eco Days generate 10.5 tonnes of WEEE
16/Feb/2010
Pupils from schools in Newport, Gwent, have been recycling their old mobile phones, kettles, toasters, DVD players and games consoles after Sims Recycling Solutions teamed up with the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and Newport City Council to hold Eco Days in four Newport secondary schools.
Welsh Assembly Government Minister for the Environment, Jane Davidson and pupils from St Julian’s High School delivering e-waste at the Eco Day.
The aim was to educate pupils and the public that small items of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) should be taken for recycling rather than being thrown away in their wheelie bins.
Sims Recycling Solutions’ staff provided 100 stillages at the four participating schools and manned special recycling points for collection of the material which was then transported to Sims Recycling Solutions Newport WEEE plant for recycling. Four Eco Days were held and members of the community and pupils brought ten and a half tonnes of unwanted electrical and electronic items for recycling.
The Eco Days took place at Duffryn High School, Bassaleg High School, Hartridge High School and St Julian’s High School. The Mayor of Newport, Glyn Jarvis, was in attendance at the Duffryn, Bassaleg and Hartridge Eco Days to which he brought along items for recycling. The St Julian’s High School event was attended by Welsh Assembly Government Minister for the Environment, Jane Davidson.
Sims Recycling Solutions Newport Plant Manager, Paul Wake, said: “We are delighted to be working with WRAP and local schools to help promote awareness of WEEE recycling and hope that the campaign will result in more people taking their WEEE for recycling instead of throwing it out with their household rubbish.”
The Eco days were organised as a pilot exercise in a continuing program to raise awareness of the importance of recycling waste electrical and electronic equipment. All the partners in the project helped contribute to the success of the Eco Days and it is now hoped that the concept can be extended to other areas in the future.