Collections, by Modern Milkman, is doorstep recycling for the things you’ve been meaning to sort out.
We’re starting across three categories: small electricals, toys and textiles (to learn more about our Toy Collection click here)
The cable drawer is real
The UK produces over 1.5 million tonnes of electrical waste every year. Only about half of it gets properly recycled. The rest? Sitting in drawers, cupboards, and garages. Or worse, thrown in the bin and sent to landfill.
UK households are hoarding 527 million small electricals. That’s equivalent to 190,000 tonnes of stuff. Nearly 20 items per household, just gathering dust.
And cables? Over two-thirds of UK households are holding onto at least one old charger.
It’s not laziness. It’s friction.
You mean to sort it out. You just need it to be easier than it currently is.
Why electrical recycling is so hard
Unlike cardboard or glass bottles, small electricals don’t have an obvious home.
They can’t go in your regular recycling bin. Batteries, circuit boards, and wires contaminate other recycling streams. Chuck them in the blue bin and you’re creating more problems than you’re solving.
Recycling centres have limited hours. Usually weekdays 9-5, maybe Saturdays until 4. Exactly when you’re working or doing the other hundred things competing for your time.
You need transport. And space in the car. And the motivation to actually drive there instead of just… shoving the drawer shut again.
The guilt is real. These items contain valuable materials. Copper. Lithium. Rare earth metals. You know they shouldn’t go in the bin. But the alternative requires more time and effort than you’ve got right now.
So they stay. In drawers. In cupboards. In boxes labeled “sort later.”
Until now.
The milk round, built for modern households
For over a century, the milk round worked because it met households where they were. Reliable, regular, trusted.
We’ve spent the last few years proving that doorstep delivery still makes sense, for breakfast essentials from British suppliers, delivered three times a week in reusable glass bottles.
Collections is the natural next step.
We’ve always collected empties. Glass bottles, milk pouches, the things you’re done with. Now we’re collecting what no longer belongs in your home. Starting with small electricals and toys. More household categories rolling out through 2026.
Because doorstep logistics works when you use the infrastructure that’s already there. Same routes. Same vehicles. Same trusted drivers. Just helping households do the right thing without adding another job to their lives.
Here’s how it works:
1. Order a collection bag online (either via the app or our website). Quick checkout. Bag arrives within days.
2. Fill it with small electricals you’re done with Cables, chargers, broken kettles, old phones, hair dryers past their prime. Please remove any loose batteries, we can’t recycle these (just) yet.
3. Seal your bag and leave it on your doorstep the night before your regular delivery day.
4. We collect it during our regular rounds Same trusted drivers. Same reliable service. No special trip required.
5. Every item we collect goes to a local recycling partner.
What small electrical’s can you collect?
Just a note on batteries
At this time we can’t collect loose batteries, so it’s really important that if these don’t get put in the collection bag. Please recycle them responsibly and also take extra care to keep out of reach of children. This is in works to sort in the next few weeks.
Real people, real relief
We’ve been testing Collections with a small group of households. Here’s what they told us:
“I’d been meaning to take that bag of cables to the recycling centre for about two years. Two years! This took me five minutes and it’s done. Feels brilliant.” — Sarah M., Warrington
“Cleared out three drawers. Found cables I didn’t even know I had. Old phone chargers from 2012. It felt so good to just put it all in one bag and leave it on the doorstep.” — Tom R., Newcastle
“The broken kettle had been sitting on top of the fridge for six months. I kept meaning to sort it. Collections made it happen in literally two minutes of effort.” — Rachel P., Harrow
That’s what Collections is about. Not creating another task. Removing the friction from a task you’ve been meaning to do anyway.
FAQs
How much does a collection bag cost?
£2.50 (inc. VAT) per collection bag. This ensures the following:
-The convenience of not spending your Saturday at the recycling centre
-Doorstep collection logistics using our existing infrastructure (no extra miles used)
–Certified recycling partners.
-Material recovery that diverts waste from landfill
Do items need to be in working condition? No. We accept broken electricals, items with missing parts, and things that no longer work. As long as they fit in the bag, we’ll take them.
What about items with plugs still attached? That’s fine. Leave plugs and cables attached. We handle the dismantling.
Can I include batteries? If these are loose please do not include these.
What about larger items like microwaves or hoovers? For now, Collections focuses on small electricals that fit in a standard bag.
Do I need to remove cables from items? No. Leave everything as is. We handle the sorting and dismantling.
What if I’m not sure whether something counts as a small electrical? If it has a plug, battery, or cable, and fits in the bag, it’s accepted.
Do I need to be a Modern Milkman customer? Yes
Can I subscribe to a weekly collections bag? Currently this is only available as a one time purchase.
Can I order multiple bags? Yes. Order as many as you need to tackle the backlog.
About Modern Milkman
Modern Milkman delivers breakfast essentials from independent British suppliers to thousands of households across the UK. Using reusable glass bottles and regular doorstep delivery, we’re proving that sustainable living doesn’t have to be hard work. Collections is our doorstep recycling service for small electricals and toys, launched in January 2025.
