In an environmentally conscious climate, we all have a responsibility to dispose of our unwanted items in a responsible and green way.

Recycling old electronic goods in an eco-friendly way, however, may not be the first thing that comes to mind. In the past, the municipal dump was probably the only option.

Now an Aldershot firm is offering householders with waste electrical and electronic equipment — known as WEEE — a safe and viable method of disposal.

Midex Reverse Technologies handles a huge range of everyday electrical objects, including computers, televisions and radios, to retrieve and recycle raw materials such as steel, copper, gold and plastic.

Business has soared for the company since the European Union’s 2007 WEEE Directive, which requires the disposal of products in an environmentally responsible manner.

Now Midex accepts and disposes of unwanted WEEE products at no charge for members of the public.

Many people may hit problems when trying to get rid of old computer hardware or other defunct or unwanted electrical material, according to Midex general manager Chris Spooner.

“When people want to get rid of their computers it can be a real struggle,” he said. “Normal dumps are reluctant to take the equipment, as it will cost them to get rid of it.

"I’ll go down to the pub and talk to my mates and someone will say they’ve got something they want to get rid of. There must be thousands of people in that situation.

“We want to open the door to Joe Public and allow them to drive up and leave their unwanted material with us, knowing it will be disposed of in a safe and environmentally sound manner.”

The company stores WEEE in a warehouse on the Manawey Industrial Estate in Holder Road before its staff strip the items and place the pieces into shredders.

Material is thrown down chutes to be cut into various sizes and then sold on for the automotive industry to use for vehicle components or for smelting back into the original metals.

Midex handles around 148 tons of material a month — the equivalent of 5,000 computers.

“A lot of the kit is from mid-corporate businesses that are upgrading or freshening their equipment,” said Mr Spooner.

“Some companies might find they have a surplus of stuff when they move. We take the whole lot — chairs included — and then dispose of the lot. That way the customer’s happy.

“Our warehouse fills up and empties out very quickly.”

The 15-year-old company, which employs seven people on site, sees its customers’ data security as one of its top priorities.

“The industry is rife with occasions where equipment goes missing on the road from the company to the processor,” Mr Spooner explained.

“It is a massive temptation for someone to take the kit. The way they see it is that it’s going to be chucked away and why shouldn’t they have it?

“I’ve heard stories of where the DVD or hard drives have been removed and all that’s left is the carcass when it gets to the disposal centre.”

Midex, which charges businesses to dispose of their material by weight, ensures its clients’ sensitive material does not become compromised by leasing them lockable metal roll cages that allow WEEE to be transported securely from company to their warehouse.

“Our cages, which are a bit like supermarket milk trolleys, are locked so we know what’s in our possession,” Mr Spooner said.

“We have a secure way of disposing of data. Destroying sensitive data is a concern for all business sectors.

“Every company boss is responsible personally for all the data on their hard drives.

“If a worker puts their bank details into a computer, and then that piece of equipment gets pilfered on the outside and their details are lifted, then the boss is responsible.”

The company has become so busy that it has had to order more cages to keep up with demand.

“They’re on wheels and ideal for the health and safety regulations, as nobody’s carrying any heavy WEEE around,” said Mr Spooner.

“Some companies have a cage on each floor of their buildings, as it’s easier that way to manage their waste.”

Midex is also involved with the charity Digital Links, which donates refurbished computer equipment to schools, hos-pitals and community projects in developing countries.

“At one time people were taking IT from companies saying they would recycle it and then shipping it straight to Africa,” Mr Spooner said.

“What happens there is that the equipment is not regulated and you’ll find that a large chunk of it is unusable junk. There are mountains of old IT equipment that can’t be used and it is a real burden.

“We’ve a deal in place that containers are filled with this stuff from Africa to be brought back to us to dispose of.”

The shortage of landfill space prompted the introduction of the WEEE Directive, which aims to improve recycling rates in the EU.

Companies which manufacture, import, distribute, generate, collect or export electronic equipment and waste must comply.

“You have got no option as a business,” said Mr Spooner. “You have to do something and show duty of care by having a piece of paper from someone like us that says you look after your equipment properly.

“It kicked off in the summer of last year and we are still finding a lot of reluctance to spend to get rid of their products.

“Landfill is a huge concern and problem for local authorities.”

Midex, which is licensed by the Environment Agency, claims to be the only service of its type in the Mail area.

Mr Spooner added: “We are trying to put up a good boys’ flag while helping the environment at the same time.

“Hopefully there will be a little to be gained back for us — it won’t be a massive amount financially, we might even make a loss on it.”

The free WEEE disposal offer — which doesn’t include fridges or fluorescent tubes because of the gases involved — is available only to householders.

The warehouse is open to the public to drop off unwanted items Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm.

For more information visit www.midex-rt.com or call 01252 338414.