Oldham has claimed the crown for being the 'most gadget-conscious' and 'environmentally friendly town' across the whole country.

A new study by a recycling group has claimed Oldham ranks in the top spot compared to the rest of the country when it comes to being environmentally responsible with used technology.

Compare and Recycle, a mobile phone recycling comparison site, has listed the most gadget-conscious cities and towns in 2023 across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Ranked by using device trade-in data, the group identified the top ten cities and towns for recycling their retired devices and gadgets.

A record-breaking number of iPhone 11 mobile phones were recycled last year across the UK, generating more than £5m for consumers and preventing 4,500kg of electronic waste.

But Oldhamers snatched the top spot in this year's list, replacing 2022's winner, Nottingham, which has plummeted to seventh place.

The Oldham Times: Oldham has been crowned the most gadget-conscious town in the UKOldham has been crowned the most gadget-conscious town in the UK (Image: Compare and Recycle)

Global e-waste is predicted to reach 74.7 megatonnes by 2030 and Compare and Recycle praised Oldham residents for doing their bit against the tide.

The website said there has been a "positive shift" in Oldham with more people modifying their upgrade habits and considering the ecological impact of their next phone.

Matthew Moreton, managing director at Compare and Recycle, said: “In 2023 leaving unwanted mobile phones or tablets in drawers just isn’t the done thing and consumers should take advantage of schemes and trade-in programmes that facilitate the reuse of old electronics.

"To put it into perspective, the incredible sum generated by customers trading in their iPhone 11 last year was enough to pay an annual energy bill for 4666 households."

Mr Moreton said people across the country are considering their device recycling habits when purchasing new devices and are using Compare and Recycle to prevent their phones from becoming e-waste.

He continued: "Last year we saw that the UK is keeping phones on average for 3.6 years before recycling and the longest kept model was an iPhone 6.

"In 2022, over 28.1 tonnes of phones were prevented from becoming e-waste.

"Keep up the good work, Oldham", he added.

The top 10 list is as follows:

1. Oldham

2. Ilford

3. Kirkcaldy

4. Bristol

5. Peterborough

6. Derby

7. Nottingham

8. Crawley

9. Swindon

10. Leicester