How old TVs from Herts are helping rehabilitate prisoners

A new partnership between Amey, Recycling Lives and HMP Dovegate is giving offenders the opportunity to develop vital work skills through a recycling academy using our old televisions.

The recycling academy, set up within HMP Dovegate prison in Staffordshire will see up to 40 offenders strip out glass, plastics, circuit boards and wiring from the televisions left at the HWRCs.

More than 133,000 televisions will be recycled every year (weighing around 1,700 tonnes) as part of the scheme to upskill and rehabilitate offenders.

Amey is responsible for managing Hertfordshire’s 17 Household Waste Recycling Centres on behalf of Herts County Council.

Amey spokesman Paul Kirkup said: “As a company which works both in the waste industry and for the Ministry of Justice (where we provide facilities management in prisons), this scheme really does allow Amey to provide a joined-up approach to supporting offenders, so when they leave they are going into work opportunities with confidence for themselves and their families – reducing the likelihood of re-offending.

“Amey has already been working with Recycling Lives for six months but the new dedicated academy will now see TV sets from Amey’s 39 Household Waste Recycling Centres transported to HMP Dovegate for recycling.”