Resident reunited with 'recycled' phone

Eagle-eyed waste operatives who work for Veolia Environmental Services South Downs at the Hollingdean Materials Recovery facility saved a local man from having a rubbish start to the New Year, after he accidentally threw his phone away in his recycling container in Brighton.  

The resident put his recycling out to be collected on Friday morning without realising he’d accidently put his phone in there until it was too late and the recycling had already been collected containing his mobile phone amongst other waste he was recycling.  When he realised he called Brighton & Hove City Council, who contacted staff at the Materials Recovery Facility.

Staff at the site separated the load which contained the mobile and carefully listened for the ringtone in the load but were unable to find it – they then informed all staff working on site.  At around noon having gone through the majority of the automated sorting process in the Materials Recovery Facility operative Darren Mutimer spotted it.

The phone was passed to the council and staff reunited it with its owner in full working order!

Veolia Environmental Services South Downs Materials Recovery Facility Manager Peter Cox said, "I can't begin to imagine the frustration the resident must have felt when he realised. I'm absolutely thrilled that my colleagues worked together and managed to find the mobile – especially after going through the whole materials recovery process!  We often get people throw away items by mistake and it’s nearly impossible to find them in amongst all the material we process.”