🐼 Panda-Emic Says: “Don’t Bin Your Batteries - Recycle Them Here!”

At Next Theme, we’re always looking for simple, practical ways to make digital services more sustainable - not just for businesses, but for our local community too. Our latest addition to the shop might be small, but it makes a real difference: we’re now an official battery recycling point right here at 31 Locking Road, Weston-super-Mare.


♻️ Why We’re Doing It

Every year, millions of used batteries end up in landfill, where they can leak harmful chemicals into the environment. By offering a free and easy drop-off point, we’re helping to stop that waste stream and make sure every battery gets recycled safely through the national Valpak Recycle-More scheme.

This new setup also supports our Plastic Free accreditation, continuing our commitment to reducing both plastic and electronic waste.


🐼 Meet Panda-Emic - Our Eco Mascot

If you’ve popped into the trade counter recently, you might have met our friendly shop panda, Emic - named during lockdown as “Panda-Emic.”

Emic has officially taken on a new job as Next Theme’s eco-mascot, reminding everyone:

“Don’t bin your batteries - recycle them here!”

You’ll spot Emic sitting proudly beside our new battery collection box, keeping an eye on all the good recycling going on.


⚙️ How It Works

  1. Bring in any used household batteries (AA, AAA, button cells, etc.).
  2. Drop them in the labelled box next to Panda-Emic.
  3. We’ll make sure they’re collected and safely recycled by Valpak.

No charge, no fuss - just an easy way to do something positive while you’re in town or picking up your digital signage, print, or web project from us.


Small Steps, Big Difference

Becoming a recycling point is another way Next Theme is building a cleaner, more responsible digital future - right alongside our efforts to reduce plastic use, cut packaging waste, and promote sustainability across all of our trade and digital services.

Next Theme - The Trade Counter of Digital Services

Smart. Local. Sustainable.

31 Locking Road, Weston-super-Mare

Drop off your old batteries any time during our opening hours.

Updated: 30-10-2025