Belgium's postal delivery service bpost is testing a new service that will see mail couriers take away discarded small home appliances such as toasters and smartphones when delivering online purchases.
The initiative is launched on the eve of International E-Waste Day (Friday 14 October), of which this year's focus is on small domestic appliances under the slogan "Recycle it all, no matter how small." Torches, laptops, chargers, cables, headphones and smartwatches can also be handed over to bpost staff as part of this scheme.
"You kill two birds with one stone: by giving a discarded toaster or broken smartphone to the postman, we help clear out their cupboards and drawers," Petra De Sutter, Federal Minister for Postal Services, said.
"At the same time, this helps the environment because old items no longer end up in the rubbish bag or on the street."
Facilitating recycling
In Belgium, almost 55% of all discarded electronics are recycled, last year's Recupel report showed, meaning almost half is not discarded in a proper way.
The project will make it easier for customers to discard their unused electronics, while also using one trip for delivery services and pick up. In this way, more electronic waste will be separated with increased recycling and reuse.
Recupel, an organisation that ensures that discarded electro-appliances are collected and processed in a sustainable and cost-efficient way, will oversee the next steps.
"Today, many people already bring their appliances to our collection points. But just as often it doesn't happen. That's why we want to make it even easier and offer an additional collection service with Recupel Retour," the company's CEO Eric De Waet said.
Not yet available everywhere
The service will be tested in six cities and towns across Belgium (Geel, Mol, Leuven, Anderlecht, Ixelles and Rixensart) over the coming months, with the aim of expanding to other places later on.
Residents of the municipalities that are included in the pilot project will soon receive an information leaflet with a shipping label in their letterbox, which they can stick on boxes or bags holding appliances they want to dispose of. This can be handed over to the mail courier when a delivery is made.
Importantly, large appliances such as refrigerators and microwave ovens cannot be taken away by bpost.
