Running Monday 20 – Sunday 26 September, Recycle Week is about encouraging people to get creative and find ways to reuse or recycle unwanted goods.
Most residents do this already but Herefordshire Council’s three top tips for Recycle Week are:
- Always think about reusing things first: could your goods be reused in your home, someone else’s or could they be donated to a charity shop or community organisation?
- Don’t throw plastic carrier bags or other things that can’t be recycled into your recycling bin (they can get tangled in machinery and lead to the whole batch not being recycled)
- Make sure everything you put in the green bin is clean, dry and empty so it can be recycled without causing any problems
Herefordshire recycles almost 40 per cent
Councillor Gemma Davies, cabinet member for commissioning, procurement and assets, says: “Our collection teams tell us that most Herefordshire residents get things right. So, last year we recycled almost 40 per cent of your waste. We want to thank residents for the part they play in this by putting things in the right bins, donating to charity shops and community organisations and by using our six recycling centres.
“Of course we need to do much more,” she continues. “The council has ambitious plans to go much further, aiming to recycle 65 per cent of household waste and sending zero waste to landfill by 2035. We will be talking more about these plans in the coming months.”
Herefordshire residents help with recycling
Here’s what happened to the materials you sent for recycling last year:
- Plastic pots, tubs and trays were sorted, flaked, washed and moulded into car bumpers
- Aluminium cans were melted and become bike frames, ladders and staples
- Paper was broken down into fibres and reformed into recycled paper or tissue
Nicola Percival, Herefordshire Council’s waste services manager, says:
“We all want to improve the environment and live more sustainable lives. We can all do more through changing some of our habits. It would really help if everyone only put what we can recycle in their green bins. Unfortunately, plastic bags and items smaller than a credit card can clog up the sorting machinery, which really slows down our recycling efforts. Too many incorrect items can lead to whole batches being rejected and needlessly sent to landfill.
Social share your top tips for recycling
“The council would also love people to share their own top tips for reusing and recycling through our social media channels,” Nicola continues. “Doing this could help encourage others to follow suit so we can all benefit from sending less to landfill. Click on the links to Facebook, Instagram and Twitter from our website to get involved.”
Now in its 18th year, Recycle Week is the brainchild of WRAP, a not-for-profit organisation that works with governments, businesses and individuals for a sustainable planet.
In its most recent ‘citizen survey’ WRAP found that 89 per cent of people changed their recycling behaviour as a direct result of Recycle Week.
Government backing
Rebecca Pow, the parliamentary under-secretary of state for the environment, food and rural affairs, also supports the annual initiative. She says: “Recycling plays a crucial role in protecting the environment and getting the most out of our precious and finite resources.
“We have a very exciting future ahead for recycling in the UK,” she continues, “including our landmark reforms for packaging and waste collections, which will make it easier for consumers and businesses to recycle more of what they use every day.”