The service sees the launch of a new Tech Drop service – offering a safe disposal route for small electrical items.
Remade will provide a repair service for household items from their Cranhill kiosk in partnership with Cranhill Development Trust and Glasgow City Council, launching Friday 25 June. Every Friday from 10am – 12pm, members of the community can bring their textiles, electronics and tech along for repair, to collect the following week.
Glasgow residents coming out of lockdown will also be able to easily declutter their unwanted electricals using Remade’s new Tech Drop service supported by the Recycle Your Electricals campaign. Remade Network will take donations of small electricals and electronics – anything with a plug that fits within a carrier bag – to repair, reuse or recycle, providing an easy and sustainable answer to lockdown clearouts.
Opening the project, David Linden MP for Glasgow East commented:
“Politicians are fond of talking about building back better and greener post-Covid. However, as we emerge from lockdown, neighbourhoods across Glasgow are looking to emerge into a greener future and it’s great to see our communities – such as Cranhill – bursting with amazing ideas to make that a reality. I’m so delighted to support this campaign and to see Remade extending its services from the Southside to the East End.”
Sophie Unwin, Director of Remade Network, said:
“For too long, consumers have been blamed for not reusing and repairing enough when the facilities don’t exist for people to make better choices. This project seeks to change this. Huge thanks to Glasgow City Council’s Social Enterprise Fund and the Recycle your Electrical Campaign for their support.”
Marie Ward, Chief Executive at Cranhill Development Trust said:
“We’re delighted to partner with Remade Network on this project to provide affordable repair and reuse services to local residents.”
Scott Butler, Executive Director of Material Focus added:
“This project is vital to ensuring that we make good use of our old electricals. Whether they are re-used or recycled – these items contain valuable materials that will otherwise be lost forever. Our research has shown that in the UK we are hoarding over 527 million small electrical items, an average of 20 per household, which is why we have recently launched our Recycle Your Electricals campaign. We are delighted to be working with Remade Network, who are one of a number of new reuse projects that we are funding in the UK. So whether you are at home or work, please hunt out your old electricals and donate them to benefit your community.”
Remade runs repair and digital inclusion projects across Glasgow and has already diverted over 1000 desktop PCs from landfill, refurbishing and distributing them to over 50 charities and community groups across the city. Cranhill Development Trust, Springburn Parish Church and Elmvale Primary are just some of the projects receiving devices. Over the past year, the social enterprise has created 12 jobs and diverted 250 tonnes of CO2 – with plans to double this impact over the next year.
The new electrical waste drop-off points – Tech Drops – in Glasgow aim to collect 3,500 unwanted electrical items over the next year. It is estimated that 25% of these will be suitable for repair and reuse, while the other 75% are safely recycled.
The scheme, supported by the Recycle your Electricals campaign, will collect phones, laptops, and home electronics – anything with a plug, battery, or cable could potentially be re-used or recycled.
Recent research, by the not for profit Material Focus behind the Recycle Your Electricals campaign, has found that UK householders are hoarding 527 million small electrical items, an average of nearly 20 per household. The problem is set to get worse as waste electricals are one of the fastest growing waste streams in the world and the UK. Instead, the majority of electricals can either be re-used or the materials contained in them recycled by being turned into anything, from life-saving equipment to children’s playgrounds.*
How to use Remade Network
- To donate unwanted items, just bring your unwanted tech to Remade in Cranhill, located at the Cranhill Development Trust or to Remade in Govanhill, located at 421 Victoria Rd.
- The scheme will also offer affordable repairs of phones and computers and clothes, including the cost of parts, to local residents in Cranhill.
- The scheme will ensure that all items are safe, with Remade Network securely collecting, cleaning and testing equipment before making it available in their shop for locals to purchase or distributing to charities.
- The collection scheme is also open to other local organisations, with both householders and businesses provided with the peace of mind that all data bearing devices will be securely wiped by Remade Network.
