FLINTSHIRE has become the first county in Wales to pilot an innovative recycling scheme.

The new scheme being trialled by Flintshire Council is designed to divert thousands of small electrical appliances that could be dumped at landfill sites.

In the new initiative’s opening few days a high number of residents have deposited unwanted items in the electrobanks at at three shopping venues in the county, for either recycling or re-use.

David Burton, managing director of environmental company Strateco which is running the electrobanks scheme with Flintshire Council, has been delighted with the early response.

He said: “Already we have had people seeing the electrobanks and bringing along items.

“The response from Flintshire and the people who live there has been excellent so far.

“This is another step in encouraging recycling, as well as re-use where there are items with a higher value.”

The electrobanks are based at Tesco stores in Holywell and Mold, and at Broughton Shopping Park.

Items such as toasters, kettles, power tools, mobile phones and IT equipment – which are currently dumped, at great cost, in landfill sites – are examples of what can be placed into the electrobanks.

The pilot scheme is due to run until spring and if successful is expected to extend to other areas of Wales.

Cllr Nancy Matthews, Flintshire executive member for Waste Management, has given her backing to the electrobanks.

She said: “I think anything that encourages recycling has got to be beneficial to what we are trying to achieve.

“This is so much better than if people dump their items in landfill sites, although this has not been much of an issue in Flintshire due to how much the residents support recycling.”

- With the year drawing to a close Cllr Nancy Matthews has thanked the people of Flintshire for being so supportive of recycling.

More than 50 per cent recycling usage has been recorded through the kerbside collection scheme and at amenity sites, with an increase in the frequency of recycling collections due to be piloted in parts of the county early next year.

She said: “The response in Flintshire has been tremendous and the number of people playing their part in recycling is very pleasing.

“But we still have more work to do and will be continuing to encourage people to think about recycling as much as possible.”