Media Release, 26th November 2024
Unwanted laptops, smartphones, tablets and chargers can be donated locally to help improve lives across Nottingham and the UK
Nottingham City Council has announced its plans for a trial tech donation scheme, launching on 25th November, collecting unwanted tech that can be refurbished then donated to those in the local community and across the UK.
Nottingham households are filled with unused tech* – Material Focus research has found that over 1 million items of tech are held onto across the city, with an average of 8 per household. Ahead of Black Friday, and Christmas, residents are urged to donate their unwanted laptops, smartphones and tablets, which will then be assessed and repaired and given to those in need, and for those that aren’t working they will then be recycled.
Donating the items is simple. Six drop-off points in easily accessible locations across the City will be positioned in libraries and leisure centres from 25th November until 31st January 2025.
Donated tech can make a huge difference to someone’s life; a donated tablet could be distributed to a child needing to complete homework, or for an adult seeking employment – a smartphone or computer will be essential for finding and applying for jobs. Just staying connected with friends and family with a donated device could also provide a vital social and wellbeing lifeline.
This project is led and funded by Material Focus, the not for profit leading the Recycle Your Electricals campaign in partnership with Nottingham City Council, Reconome and Good Things Foundation. Nottingham City Council will install and manage the drop off points and ensure any unusable tech is responsibly recycled. Reconome will refurbish the devices and Good Things Foundation will distribute the refurbished devices to people in need across the UK as part of their National Device Bank, plus provide free internet data via its National Databank, to all those receiving devices.
The tech donation points can be found at the following locations. All items can be handed to a member of staff and put safely aside ready for collection. Donated items should have all data deleted by simply backing up the device, resetting, and removing any SIM or memory cards. To find information on how to delete your data, visit the Data Deletion Guide.
Reconome will collect all items, refurbish and then ensure any personal data is wiped to Ministry of Defence standards. Any devices that can’t be refurbished and repaired will be recycled responsibly, with the precious metals inside reused and could be turned into everything from children’s playgrounds to life-saving equipment.
Councillor Sam Lux, Executive Member for Carbon Reduction, Leisure and Culture at Nottingham City Council said, “It’s wonderful to see such a collaborative project that not only helps people in need get access to technology and unused electrical devices, but also gives these devices a new lease of life.
It’s so important for the planet that we continue to reuse our possessions rather than allowing them to end up in landfill. Nottingham city has ambitious carbon reduction targets, and by donating unwanted technology and small electrical items, like cables, to create a more circular economy we can help to reduce the carbon footprint associated with their disposal. This initiative demonstrates that we can all take action on climate change whilst helping others in our communities.”
Scott Butler, Executive Director of Material Focus, said: “We are pleased to support the Nottingham Tech Donation project, which highlights the potential of our unused tech. Instead of being stashed unused in our homes they can instead support those who have no access to technology. This initiative marks a meaningful step towards a more inclusive and sustainable future.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
For media enquiries please contact zoe@snowballpr.co.uk
To find your nearest recycling point search ‘recycle your electricals.’
Nottingham Council:
Nottingham City Council is committed to creating a sustainable, vibrant, and inclusive city for all residents. Focused on promoting environmental responsibility, economic growth, and social wellbeing, the Council works collaboratively with communities, businesses, and stakeholders to deliver innovative solutions. From reducing waste and improving recycling initiatives to supporting local services and creating green spaces, Nottingham City Council strives to make the city a better place to live, work, and thrive for current and future generation
About Material Focus and the Recycle Your Electricals campaign:
Material Focus is a not-for-profit organisation whose goal is to stop the nation from throwing away or hoarding all their old small electricals. Material Focus is leading the UK-wide Recycle Your Electricals campaign. The campaign is revealing the value hidden in electricals and is making it easier for us all to recycle and reuse the small electricals we no longer need by providing more recycling points as well as providing #practical information on how households can recycle.
Nottingham Tech Donation Project points will be situated at the following locations:
To find information on data deletion, visit the Data Deletion Guide:
*YouGov Research 05.09.23 revealed 1,009,048 unused tech items are being held onto in Nottingham homes with an average of 8 per household including mobile phones, iPad’s computers and laptops. Raw data can be supplied.
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