Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the public’s awareness of electrical goods recycling options; and what steps he plans to take to improve public awareness of those options.

The Waste Electronics and Electrical Equipment regulations make producers responsible for the electrical products they place on the market when they become waste. Within that framework producers fund a not-for-profit industry body Material Focus through the WEEE Compliance Fee. Part of the funds are used for consumer awareness campaigns highlighting the importance of properly disposing of their electrical waste.

A Material Focus communications campaign has helped lead to 30 million more small electrical items being recycled in 2024 compared to 2022.

We are considering further measures to deliver a Circular Economy, including across electricals, as part of the circular economy strategy.