Cherwell District Council, in partnership with the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), is appealing for residents in the district to save-up their batteries for recycling, which they can take to local drop-off centres.

The scheme is one of several nationwide trials taking place to identify the most efficient way to recycle batteries.

Cllr Kieron Mallon, from CDC, said: "If you ask people how many batteries they use in a year, they usually say anything from none to a handful. However, when they start to think about the number of household gadgets they have that have batteries in them, the number soon rockets."

In the Bicester area, all unwanted or used batteries, including AA, AAA, button batteries, size C and D and any laptop or mobile batteries can be dropped off at CDC's district office in Market Square, Bicester Town Council, at The Garth, Bicester Library, in Old Place Yard and Bicester and Ploughley Sports Centre on Queen Avenue. Other drop-off venues include bring banks at Bicester Tesco, Southwold Shops, Bure Park Co-op, Shakespeare Drive and Wickes, on Launton Road.

For more information on battery recycling, contact CDC on 01295 221940, telephone the WRAP helpline on 08453 313131, or visit www.recyclenow.org.uk

Residents of south Northants can have their household batteries recycled by taking them to waste and recycling centres in Greens Norton Road, Towcester, and Banbury Road in Farthinghoe.
Residents in the Vale of Aylesbury can have batteries recycled at the waste and recycling centre in Yonder Slade or drop them off at the Buckingham Town Council office in Buckingham Community Centre.

It is estimated British households are putting 700million batteries in the bin each year, which would stretch nearly 20,000 miles – equal to the distance to Australia and back.

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