Figures released by the environment agency have shown that the household WEEE collection rate has increased dramatically during the second quarter of 2010. For the period of April to June 2010 the figure reached 44.3 per cent compared to just 33.6 per cent for the whole of 2009.

This rise comes despite the fact that the amount of new electrical equipment being put onto the market is continually falling.

Business minister, Mark Prisk said:

I am pleased to see that the Q2 data shows record levels of waste electricals being separately collected. It is particularly encouraging to see that this increase is largely attributed to higher volumes of small electricals being sent for recycling by householders.