The not-for-profit behind the Recycle Your Electricals campaign is inviting applications for its third annual fund, which has already helped to establish over 900 collection points nationwide.
Material Focus has opened applications for the 2026 round of its Electricals Recycling Fund, making £1 million available to UK councils and organisations working to expand access to small electrical recycling.
The fund, now in its third year, supports solutions designed to make it easier for householders to recycle unwanted electricals. Previous rounds have funded over 70 pilots, creating new collection points and reaching over 12 million people. Material Focus says 33,000 items have been reused through those projects, with more than 900 tonnes of electricals recycled.
Half of funding from industry scheme
Of the £1 million available, half has been provided by the Distributor Takeback Scheme (DTS) operated by Valpak, with the remainder coming from Material Focus's own fund. The DTS is a DEFRA-approved scheme through which electrical retailers fund WEEE collection infrastructure in lieu of offering in-store takeback.
Material Focus research indicates that 880 million unwanted electricals are still being held onto in UK homes, an average of 30 per household, which it says represents a substantial opportunity to increase collection through more convenient and visible options.
The 2026 fund is targeting applications for on-street collection banks, community collection points in high-traffic locations such as libraries and leisure centres, and refurbishment of existing bring banks. Eligible applicants include local authorities and non-profit organisations; individuals cannot apply.
Scott Butler, Executive Director of Material Focus, said: “Over 70 pilots have already shown that when you make recycling easier and more visible, people respond. This £1 million investment will help councils and partners test and scale practical solutions that can be rolled out more widely.”
Ian Guest, environmental compliance consultant at Valpak, said the pilots delivered so far “demonstrate how targeted investment can unlock meaningful environmental benefits and help the sector meet its obligations while delivering real value to communities.”
Applications opened on 4 March 2026 and close on 31 May, with successful applicants to be notified by 4 July. Organisations can apply for up to £0.50 per household served, capped at £100,000 per applicant. Applications must be submitted via the online application form, with Material Focus recommending that applicants review the guidance documents before applying.
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