On International E-Waste Day, 14 October 2026, Cambridgeshire County Council is encouraging residents to continue taking unwanted e-waste, such as electrical and electronic items, to household recycling centres. This follows a significant effort last year, which saw nearly 4,000 tonnes of such items brought to the centres.
Between April 2025 and March 2026, the recycled items included 603 tonnes of fridges and 442 tonnes of computer monitors. Considering an average free-standing fridge weighs around 70kg and a computer monitor approximately 8.5kg, this equates to roughly 8,500 fridges and 52,000 computer monitors being recycled. This achievement supports the County Council’s aim to help communities reuse materials and adopt more sustainable practices.
All waste electrical and electronic equipment, known as WEEE, covers a wide range of objects. This includes large appliances like washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers, and ovens, as well as smaller items such as toasters, fans, kettles, microwaves, and toothbrushes – essentially anything with a plug.
Recycling unwanted or broken electrical items is crucial because they can contain potentially harmful chemicals that may lead to climate-changing emissions if not disposed of properly. Furthermore, recycling conserves natural resources, such as copper and metals, which can be repeatedly recycled without loss of quality.
“"We’re delighted that local residents have taken such positive action and recycled so many items of waste electrical and electronic equipment, which allows these items to be disposed of safely or recycled. We are dedicated to supporting local people and communities to reduce waste and reuse materials, as well as supporting initiatives that help with climate change."
“"We also want to remind people that any item with a battery such as disposable vapes, earbuds, power banks, mobile phones or watches should also be taken to household recycling centres, as they may cause fires if put in household waste collections."
The County Council’s website provides information on recyclable items and the locations of its nine household recycling centres.
