Brits 'lagging behind' in recycling of electricals

British households are lagging behind the rest of Europe when it comes recycling electrical items, it has been claimed.

A report commissioned by computer firm Dell revealed that just one per cent of people in the UK dispose of their electrical products in an environmentally friendly way.

Commenting on the findings, Carol Laitner, senior consultant at Waste Watch, said there is not as much awareness as their could be about this area of recycling.

"A lot of councils do have the facility to recycle electrical equipment, but a lot of the time they are stripped of parts rather than being re-used in their current form," she added.

The fact that Britain did not sign up to the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (Weee) Directive until after other European countries may also have contributed to the lack of awareness.

Weee aims to minimise the impact that electrical items, such as computer monitors, have on the environment.