A Perth recycling centre has seen a 60% increase in the number of dumped televisions as Scotland prepares for the digital switchover.
Dubbed the nation’s TV Graveyard, Viridor waste management’s Shore Road site has been processing hundreds of thousands of unwanted sets many in perfect working order from all but one of the country’s council areas.
Over the past year more than 330,000 have passed through the plant, providing a number good quality materials for re-use.
This summer’s World Cup is also thought to have contributed to the boom, as fans upgrade to high-definition screens.
Company spokesman Martin Grey called the increase a “positive step forward” as more than 95% of parts can be recycled.
He added that Viridor plans to pump £800,000 into its Scottish plants over the next five years to help meet the Scottish Government’s green waste targets.
“Whilst most folk wouldn’t know it, Perth is at the heart of a real Scottish success story,” he said.
“Television sets taken to recycling sites in 31 of Scotland’s 32 council areas come to us and 95% of the components can be reused.
“We also work with councils to arrange the pick-up of larger items from people’s homes.”
To recycle a TV, workers remove the plastic, glass circuit board and copper cabling. Then any coating is removed from the materials before they are re-used in air conditioning units, loft insulation and other items.
Mr Grey continued, “There has been a huge rise over the past year and it must be down, in part to the digital switchover.”