Bright pink bins for electrical waste have resulted in nine times more 'e-waste' being collected for recycling in South Cambs and Cambridge.

The new collection banks were installed last year by the Greater Cambridge Shared Waste Service - a partnership between Cambridge Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council - in a bid to reduce the hundreds of tonnes of electrical items which end up in black bins.

Cllr Rosy Moore, executive councillor for climate action and environment at Cambridge City Council, said: "We’ve collected over 49 tonnes of small electrical appliances, from toasters to telephones, since the new banks were put in place – that’s about the same weight as seven African elephants, and 44 tonnes more than the previous year.

"We’re really pleased that more people have been able to easily recycle these items, which are full of vital materials like copper and lithium, closer to where they live."

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The pink bins are suitable for collecting most small items which have a plug or a battery, including phones, toys, kettles and more.

Items are then sorted for re-use or recycling by specialist company Wiser Recycling in Thetford.

International E-Waste Day falls on Saturday, October 14, highlighting the importance of recycling electrical items.