We all rely on our mobile phones, probably more than we really care to admit, but what would you do if you accidentally put yours in a locked e-waste recycling bank?
This week a member of WEEE Link’s collection team, Adrian Clarke, went above and beyond for Leeds resident Philip when he accidentally put his current mobile phone in a Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) bring bank at Headingly Taps Bennet Road Car Park.
WEEE Link are Leeds City Council’s WEEE contractor. The Council has recently began relaunching 35 WEEE bring banks across the city making it easier and more convenient for residents to recycle their small e-waste. The banks, newly wrapped in pink, accept any small electrical items with batteries, a plug or a charger. These are everyday items such as hairdryers, irons, laptops and mobile phones (just the unwanted ones of course!).
Philip, who has used the WEEE bring banks before to recycle various equipment such as an old laptop said the banks are very convenient to dispose of unwanted items, as he always uses the bottle banks located nearby. On this occasion Philip was disposing of an old mobile phone but accidentally put his current one in the WEEE bank in error.
When asked about his experience Philip said “I couldn’t believe it when I realised what I’d done.”
He explained his main concern was not the phone itself but the value of the content such as information, contacts, and photos, as well as the potential security risk.
“Initially I wasn’t sure it would be possible to retrieve it, so I was very relieved when it was!”
WEEE Link’s collection team member, Adrian Clarke, who retrieved the phone said, “It was a co-ordinated effort, and we were pleased to reunite Philip with his phone which had made its way to the bottom of the bank!”
Philip explained that at first it was a challenge to find out who to contact but once he was in touch with WEEE Link’s collections team they were ever so helpful, and all went swimmingly. He added that Adrian was “brilliant, very pleasant and easy to deal with” – and the great news is that he had his mobile phone back within 24 hours.
