Leeds City Council leads on e-waste recycling

Leeds council is WEEE compliant

Leeds City Council has become one of the few organisations in the UK to achieve 100 per cent recycling of old computer hardware.

The authority has been working with recycler RDC since 2007 to ensure conformance to the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive for disposal of old kit such as computers, keyboards, mice, monitors, printers and servers, as well as secure wiping of hard drive data.

The council was shortlisted for the Computing Awards for Excellence green project of the year prize last year for reducing carbon emissions by more than 760 tonnes in three years, and saving more than £100,000 in energy costs.

Recent research by supplier Dell found that the UK is the worst country in Western Europe for recycling electronic hardware, despite e-waste legislation having been in place for nearly two years. Some 13 per cent of UK consumers do not recycle electrical goods at all, more than four times the figure in Germany.

“Technology develops so quickly these days and regrettably, that means some equipment becomes obsolete or surplus to requirements,” said Leeds councillor Richard Brett, joint leader and executive board member with responsibility for IT services.

“However, none of it is now just being thrown away. Instead, any hardware with a bit of potential still in it will be given a new lease of life and items which are really at the end of the road will be entirely recycled. This project is a fantastic way for the council to minimise the impact it has on the environment and proves once again we’re trying to be as green as possible.”