A SERIES of recycling events are being held this week in Andover.

As part of this year’s National Recycle Week, which will run until Sunday, (24) locations across the town will be accepting unwanted electrical items.

These include Augusta Park Community Centre, in East Anton Farm Road, which will be open today (20) from 10am to 2pm, Thursday (21) from 7pm to 9pm and from 12.30pm to 2.30pm on Friday. (22) The British Heart Foundation, in High Street, will accept donations all week from 9.30am to 5pm and 10am to 4pm on Sunday while Test Valley Borough Council offices, in Beech Hurst, will be joining in on Thursday between 10am and 2pm. Twice as Nice, in the Walworth Industrial Estate, will be part of the project every day this week.

Research shows that most people have all kinds of unwanted electrical items such as mobile phones, DVD players or hairdryers stored in drawers, cupboards or sheds – usually because they don’t know what else to do with them once they are replaced. New regulations mean that electrical items are restricted from landfill as they contain hazardous material, but instead of disposing of them properly, these items are often left to accumulate at home.

Residents are being asked to drop off unwanted or broken small electricals for free, in return for entering a competition where they can win gadgets.

All events will accept any small portable electrical or electronic items with a plug or batteries that can be easily carried by one person, apart from televisions or monitors.

During the rest of the year, Hampshire residents can use one of the 26 household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) or items that can be repaired can be donated to local charities or sold at HWRCs for spares.

Cllr Leslie Keeble, chairman of the Project Integra waste partnership’s strategic board, said: “Most people actively recycle a lot of things like paper and metals, but don’t realise how easy it is to recycle electrical items too.

“A typical domestic iron contains enough steel to make 13 food cans, so by recycling your broken or unwanted item you are ensuring that valuable natural materials are conserved and not wasted, helping the environment too.

“We are inviting everyone to use this opportunity to have a clear-out of any small electricals they no longer need and to make use of the drop-off points around the county during Recycle Week.”