Biffa to roll out household collections for small WEEE

The extra services are the result of Biffa’s successful application to Valpak’s local project fund, which is administered by BIS. Grants of £30,000 will be available from April 2012 for Woking, Surrey Heath and Swale borough councils.

Typically, small household WEEE comprises kitchen, beauty and audio-visual products. Biffa’s municipal development director Pete Dickson said the initiative was “typical of Biffa’s desire and ability to add value to its collection services”.

He commented: “Local authorities have two mantras at the moment – to save money and to protect service quality. By identifying and tapping into this funding, Biffa will have helped this trio of clients to do exactly that.”

Officers at Woking Borough Council estimate the new service could collect between 200 and 350 tonnes of WEEE annually. Meanwhile Surrey Heath and Swale borough councils are working with Biffa to design WEEE collection services that best suit their local needs.

Woking councillor Beryl Hunwicks, portfolio holder for waste and recycling, said: “This new collection scheme will further enhance the council’s recycling service, and support our mission to push the recycling rate from the current 54% to over 60%.”

Maxine Perella