Latest news with #reuse
BBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Scheme launched in Wolverhampton to repurpose unwanted items
A scheme has been launched to encourage tip users to help struggling families by granting a second life to unwanted but reusable items. People visiting the household waste and recycling centre on Shaw Road, Wolverhampton, will be able to leave any such items at a drop-off point under the Too Good to Chuck goods would then be found a new home with another household. Items with minor yet fixable damage would be repaired before distribution. City of Wolverhampton Council leader Stephen Simkins, who launched the scheme on Thursday, urged people to not simply throw away things that could be used to "help other families in the city". "In these continuing tough financial times, we all need ways to make the most of our homes without spending a fortune," he that can be donated include wooden or metal furniture, bicycles, crockery, cutlery and decorative pieces such as mirrors or council added, however, that anything electrical would not be accepted, along with soft furnishings or heavily damaged items. Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Irish Times
25-05-2025
- Irish Times
It's time to stop hoarding old smartphones and laptops
I'm not proud of the fact that I have eight old mobile phones in a drawer of a filing cabinet in my home office. Admittedly, they constitute a family repository but when you add in one old laptop and two unused desktop computers, that's a lot of rare-earth minerals in one room of an average family home. Mobile and smartphones are not even the most hoarded small consumer electronic devices in European households, according to the Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Forum, an international association of more than 50 producer-responsibility organisations. Headphones, remote controls, clocks, irons, external hard drives, routers, keyboards and computer mice all come in ahead of them. In its survey, the WEEE Forum found that possible reuse, plans to sell or give away and sentimental value were the three top reasons why people hoarded electronic equipment. 'We like to hold on to things that we perceive have value, particularly if they don't take up too much space. But this doesn't help you or the planet,' says Elizabeth O'Reilly, head of environmental compliance at WEEE Ireland. WEEE Ireland collects electrical and electronic items for recycling from civic amenity sites and retailers as part of an EU compliance scheme. READ MORE O'Reilly believes that Ireland is on the cusp of change when it comes to initiatives to promote reuse, repair and trade-in of small electronic items such as mobile phones. [ We've been sold the idea that replacing instead of fixing is faster, but is it really? Opens in new window ] 'The European Commission is aware that most of the rare-earth minerals used in smartphones are geographically controlled outside of Europe and it now wants to get 25 per cent of strategic and critical rare-earth minerals from recycled content in Europe,' she says. Strategic materials include steel, and while lithium is also a valuable metal. Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is the fastest-growing waste stream in Europe, according to an Environmental Protection Agency-funded research paper. That 2021 study found that frugality and waste avoidance were the overwhelming drivers for consumers to store electrical equipment that was no longer in use. 'A lack of connection between long-term storage and pressure on virgin raw material extraction means this is likely to persist,' wrote Yvonne Ryan-Fogarty and others in An Investigation into WEEE Arising and Not Arising in Ireland . A period of home renovation is deemed to be a critical moment for the disposal of WEEE from householders. The study suggested that the convenience and visibility of WEEE recycling needed to be increased. More repair, preparation for reuse and reuse opportunities would assist consumers and businesses to make connections to appropriate treatment rather than waste avoidance, which is the current practice, according to the researchers. A 2013 report by the UK environmental charity Green Alliance claimed that a reused iPhone retained 48 per cent of its value while the value of a recycled iPhone came in at less than 1 per cent (0.24 per cent). And the production of a new smartphone is responsible for about 85 per cent of the device's total lifetime carbon footprint. [ Old tech hanging around the house? Here is how to make unused devices useful again Opens in new window ] More recent initiatives such as Apple Trade In, Swappie and all offer money back on recent iPhone models, which incentivises reuse. The chain of CeX shops around Ireland also buys recent models of smartphones in good condition. Other older models – such as most of the ones in my drawer – are only fit for recycling, however. Buying second-hand smartphones is also getting easier with sites such as offering customers 30-day free trials before committing to purchasing refurbished phones. Each refurbished product also has a 12-month warranty. However, offering consumers clear information where to drop off or send old devices for reuse rather than recycling is a necessary first step to building up this second-hand marketplace. Assuring customers that their devices will be forensically wiped of all data is also essential before such devices are prepared for resale. 'People aren't afraid to buy second-, third- or fourth-hand cars but we need a registration system for reuse operators of electronic equipment that can be shared with the public,' says O'Reilly. Old iPhones and mobile phones found in a drawer. Photograph: Bryan O'Brien O'Reilly also believes that customers should be informed at the point of sale about where they can go for repairs and where they can trade in their electronic products for reuse or recycling. 'Manufacturers are obliged to include a repair sheet and an extended warranty under the EU Directive on Repair of Goods,' she says. 'We need this information digitally available to consumers when they are buying their phones.' The National Centre for the Circular Economy at the Rediscovery Centre in Ballymun, Dublin is planning to launch a new citizen information platform ( later this year, which is expected to have links to repair centres for almost everything, including small electronic devices. Already, the countrywide online directory allows electronic equipment repair shops list their services for free, although there are no quality checks on the businesses that list on the site. There is also no Irish data on what percentage of smartphones and other electronic devices are repaired and refurbished in Ireland. A report in 2024 estimated that about 10 per cent of the European smartphone market – whose total value was estimated at €100 billion – consisted of refurbished devices. We need advertising campaigns encouraging people in the public and private sector to consider refurbished and remanufactured devices instead of buying new — Anthony O'Dea Anthony O'Dea, commercial director of Green IT, a company that refurbishes and remanufactures IT equipment for businesses, the public sector and charities, says there has been a lack of trust of products due to fears over outdated operating systems. 'Yet there is a growing market driven by legitimate customer interest – particularly in the education sector,' says O'Dea. Under the Government's Green Public Procurement scheme, Green IT signed a €30 million contract in May 2024 to supply 60,000 laptops over four years. 'This will represent 12 per cent of public-sector end users and is the only contract of its size and type in the EU,' says O'Dea. Such contracts may bring momentum to the reuse of electronic equipment across the corporate and consumer sectors. O'Reilly says: 'The second whole of Government circular economy strategy – which is due very soon – will be the clearest blueprint yet to drive repair, reuse and remanufacturing.' O'Dea adds that compliance schemes such as WEEE Ireland also need to promote reuse more. 'We need advertising campaigns encouraging people in the public and private sector to consider refurbished and remanufactured devices instead of buying new,' he says. A new training scheme for technicians who can repair consumer electronic goods due to start in the autumn of 2025 should help expand the second-hand market. 'The key to having more trained workers is that there will be a quality standard and that consumers won't be afraid to ask can their electronic device be repaired and trust that it will be repaired correctly,' says O'Reilly.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pilot reuse program to begin at Kapaʻa Transfer Station
HONOLULU (KHON2) — The Honolulu Department of Environmental Services is partnering with Re-use Hawaiʻi and Goodwill Hawaiʻi to create a new reusable materials drop-off site at the Kapaʻa Transfer Station beginning May 31. The partnership is in alignment with the city's long-term sustainability and waste reduction strategies. The new site is set to be in a pilot phase for approximately six months on Saturdays and Sundays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wife of Maui doctor withdraws request for restraining order Items such as clothing, textiles household goods, small appliances, mirrors, furniture and more will be accepted at the Kapaʻa Transfer Station during the weekend hours. 'This reuse pilot is part of our department's commitment to resource recovery and landfill diversion,' Environmental Services Director Roger Babcock said. 'We're proud to partner with respected organizations like Re-use Hawaiʻi and Goodwill Hawaiʻi, who will ensure the materials collected are put to good use in our community.'The collection and distribution of donated items will be managed by Re-use Hawaiʻi and Goodwill Hawaiʻi, with the donations repurposed, resold or redistributed to support the local community and environment. 'The pilot project represents an exciting collaboration that makes it easier for residents to choose to recover resources,' Re-use Hawaiʻi Executive Director Quinn Vittum said. 'By partnering with Goodwill Hawaii and the City and County of Honolulu, we're expanding access to donation options for the community right at the point of disposal. Together, we're helping to keep valuable resources out of the landfill and support the circular economy.' For more information regarding the donations, visit Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pepsi Follows Coca-Cola's Lead and Abandons Reuse Goal, Doubling Down on Single-Use Plastic Packaging
WASHINGTON, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On May 22, PepsiCo announced it is abandoning its reuse goal: to achieve 20% of all beverage servings the company sells be sold through reusable models by 2030. In addition, the company ended its goal to 'cut virgin plastic from non-renewable sources per serving' and scaled back other goals related to its plastic packaging use. PepsiCo reported in 2023 that the company's share of packaging in reusable formats was 10%, unchanged from when it first announced its goal in 2022. This news follows a similar move from Coca-Cola in December 2024. In response to this development from Pepsi, Oceana released the following statement from Matt Littlejohn, Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives: 'By killing its reuse goal, and other goals that would actually reduce plastic packaging, Pepsi is hurting our oceans and the environment. Pepsi is one of the largest polluters in the world according to the Break Free from Plastic Brand Audit and has a responsibility to address its plastic problem.' 'The best way for Pepsi to reduce plastic pollution is not by abandoning goals but by dramatically increasing the use of refillable bottles – which can be used up to 50 times if made of glass. Just a 10% increase in reusable beverage packaging by 2030 can eliminate the need for over 1 trillion single-use plastic bottles and cups and could prevent 153 billion of these containers from getting into the world's oceans and waterways.' 'Pepsi's customers, employees, investors, and government officials who are concerned about the impact of plastics on our planet and health, should hold the company accountable. This should include pushing the company to reduce products sold in single-use plastic packaging, increase products sold in reusable packaging, and to report on the share of products sold in reusable formats.' Additional background: PepsiCo also stated in its last submission to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation that the weight of virgin plastic packaging used had increased from 2.18 million metric tons in 2020 to 2.3 million tons in 2023. Pepsi in its statement about the goal changes said that it will 'focus on investments that aim to improve the packaging lifecycle.' The company also said that it will continue to track reusability and various efforts on reuse as part of its other goals. In December 2024, Coca-Cola ended its goals to increase reusable packaging and reduce virgin plastic use. Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Oceana is rebuilding abundant and biodiverse oceans by winning science-based policies in countries that control one-quarter of the world's wild fish catch. With more than 325 victories that stop overfishing, habitat destruction, oil and plastic pollution, and the killing of threatened species like turtles, whales, and sharks, Oceana's campaigns are delivering results. A restored ocean means that 1 billion people can enjoy a healthy seafood meal every day, forever. Together, we can save the oceans and help feed the world. Visit to learn more. Media contact: Gillian Spolarich, gspolarich@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
BBC News
18-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Ilminster Reuse and Repair shop awarded £11,000 for upgrade
A "share and repair" project has been awarded £11,000 to help encourage more people to reduce, reuse and funding, provided by the Somerset Community Foundation, will go towards a shop refit and upgrade at the Ilminster Share and Repair launching in 2022, the Somerset project said it had completed more than 1,700 repairs for about 670 Hunt, director of Green Ilminster, said the grant will enable them to make "a real difference to people's lives and to the planet". "We're incredibly grateful to Somerset Community Foundation and the Gooch Charitable Fund for supporting our next chapter," Ms Hunt said."This grant enables us to improve our facilities, extend our reach, and continue to deliver services."The reuse centre has an IT drop off facility that refurbishes unwanted technology and passes it on to people in need. Volunteers at the centre also regularly identify tools and sewing machines for in good working order that cannot be sold are donated to local families via the Ilminster Churches Together Food Bank. Any irreparable items are recycled for Boland from the Somerset Community Foundation said it was "delighted to be supporting this valuable local enterprise"."Ilminster Share and Repair is a great example of a community working together to benefit local people, whilst also reducing the impact on the planet and contributing to a more sustainable environment and economy," he said.
