A – ASK
Does it have a plug, battery or cable? If you can remove the battery, take it out and recycle it separately. Can’t remove the batteries? Add the whole thing to your electrical recycling.
Love your old toaster
As a nation we love our toast, but do we love our toasters enough? Our latest campaign turns the heat up on all those electricals we throw away. And we created a giant toaster to help!
Why a giant toaster?
The perfect pop-up campaign
We’re a nation of toast lovers
In Britain we munch our way through 40 million slices of toast a day – and it takes a lot of toasters to make that much toast.
But true love sometimes forgets
We throw away over 11 million old and unwanted toasters a year – or just leave them to gather dust. That’s a lot of precious materials going to waste.
Pre-loved, ready to be loved again
Anything with a plug, battery or cable can be reused or recycled – not just old toasters. And now you can even hand over electricals in store when you’re buying.
Find a recycling point near you
Nearly half (46%) of us who’ve binned a toaster didn’t even know it could be recycled. But we’re never far away from somewhere to do just that. Use our locator to find your nearest reuse and recycling point.
If you really love your old toaster, let it go
The actor, the presenter and the artist on why they’re switched on to the campaign
“There are always new ways to improve your eco-footprint – that’s why I’m taking part in the Love Your Old Toaster campaign: we chuck away 11.4 million of them a year. Check out the postcode locator – it’s brilliant!”
Joanna Page
Actor and Sustainability Champion
“I’m determined to be part of the generation that does something proactive about unwanted household electricals. It’s time for individual action, because anything with a plug, cable or battery can be recycled. Don’t dump yours in the rubbish and let it go to waste – pop your postcode in the locator: it will show you where you can take your beloved old toasters to be recycled. It’s that easy!”
Michelle Ackerley
Presenter & Consumer Advocate
“I’ve always been interested in small actions we can do to help the planet. My design is a visual representation of electricals we hoard in our homes – mixed in with my colourful style. A fun way to engage people and raise awareness of a serious topic.”
Eloisa Henderson-Figueroa
Muralist & Artist
Photo: Bruna Balodis
Where to recycle your old toaster
Find your nearest reuse and recycling drop-off point – simply pop in your postcode.
Where can I see the giant toaster? And other burning questions
Where can I see the recycling bank pretending to be a giant toaster?
If you missed the giant toaster at Westfield Stratford City and Westfield London – don’t worry it’s now at Sparks Bristol
What kind of electricals can I recycle in the giant toaster?
Anything with a plug, battery or cable can be reused or recycled. But the toaster can only accept smaller items – no bigger than 60cm x 30cm x 30cm.
See the full list of what you can and can’t bring (pdf)
This collection is for personal, household electricals only; we won’t accept business electricals collected through the Retailer Takeback scheme due to limited capacity. We also reserve the right to turn away any electrical in damaged condition that could cause a risk to staff or storage facilities.
What size electricals fit in the giant toaster?
To fit in the giant toaster recycling bin, items should be no bigger than 60cm x 30cm x 30cm.
What if the giant toaster isn’t coming to a shopping district near me?
Gorgeous though it is, the toaster is really only something to whet the appetite. If you can’t get to see it, don’t fret. With more than 5,000 electrical recycling drop-off points around the UK, you’re bound to find one within easy reach: simply put your postcode into our recycling locator to find your nearest one.
What happens to my electricals after I put them in the giant toaster – or any other recycling bin?
All the electricals in the toaster, and any other recycling bin, will be taken to a recycling centre and sorted. Some might be refurbished and get a second life; others will be broken down into components and valuable raw materials to be used again. Metals and plastics recovered from old electricals can be made into a host of new products, from children’s playgrounds to life-saving medical equipment.
Some electrical items at Stratford will also be collected by Brightsparks, a re-use and repair not-for-profit that will clean, test and repair any reusable items and distribute them to local people.
Massive thanks to the people who have made this campaign possible
Westfield Stratford City and Westfield London – for providing space for the pop-up toaster and supporting the campaign launch; Michelle Ackerley and Joanna Page for their involvement as the campaign’s ambassadors; Veolia, SWEEEP and Bright Sparks Repair and Reuse – who will be collecting, recycling and donating the electricals; East of Eden PR – for their PR and communications; and the talents of Storyhouse Productions and Eloisa Henderson-Figueroa for bringing the dream life.
ABC of electrical recycling
The simple recipe
B – BAG IT
Set aside a bag for all your old electrical bits and pieces until you can go to the recycling centre – or until collection day, if you have one.
C – CHECK
Find your nearest recycling point. Enter your postcode in our recycling locator. And away you go.
