Why your radios and phones aren't just for Christmas

10:42 08 December 2009

Ah, the sound of the morning symphony on Christmas morning – bread popping up from the toaster, the kettle whistling, and the radio announcing the news of the day and playing our favourite songs.

But one day, these and all our other small electric goods will be replaced by newer, smaller or faster versions.

The festive season is the time when many of us purchase these types of products and we are predicted to spend a whopping £7.3 billion on electricals in the UK alone in the run up to Christmas , leaving the old versions out in the cold.

Small items make up over 35% of all electronics purchased every year, but only up to 10% of those they replace are recycled.

One of the main reasons seems to be that many of us are unaware that we can recycle these items, rather than just throwing them away.

In a survey, Recycle Now revealed that more than a third still believe they can't recycle small electrical goods - but 80% also say they'd make more effort to recycle if they knew they could.

Anything with a plug, that uses batteries or needs charging can be recyled, meaning anything from hair straighteners to bread makers can be reused at your local centre.

To bring the issue to the public's attention, Recycle Now has teamed up with the resourceful members of the Really Rubbish Orchestra.

Taking old small electronic and electrical goods, they've turned these abandoned items into their latest workable instruments; skateboard guitars with bits of telephone attached and radio zithers are just some examples of what they have created.

In the following video, the Really Rubbish Orchestra are joined by 2008's finalists Hear Me Now! from BBC's 'Last Choir Standing' to play some well-known Christmas carols and raise awareness of the opportunities and importance to recycle small electronic and electrical goods.

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For more information about how you can join in to cut waste and find out the nearest centre to you, visit www.recyclenow.com

View highlights from their performance here:

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