We all know we should be doing it, but fitting recycling into our everyday routines isn't always easy. The idea behind recycling is simple - it's all about making the most out of the materials we use instead of throwing them in the bin to waste. Actually doing it can be just as simple, with our guide to recycling in the home.
Sort your recyclables from your rubbish
Nearly two-thirds of what you put in the bin can be recycled, so get in the routine of separating items from the rest of the rubbish if they don't need to go out to landfill.
Ideally you should wash out items and squash them into a smaller size so they don't take up as much room.
Check your council's kerbside service
Around 80% of councils now offer a kerbside service for recycled items, which will provide you with bins for different materials and pick up your recyclable items from your doorstep. Contact your council's recycling department to find out what they do in your area.
Find your local recycling facilities
If your council doesn't pick up certain materials, you may be able to recycle them at your nearest recycling centre. Contact your local council to find your nearest sites or search for one using RecycleNow's facilities locator.
Most supermarkets have recycling facilities on site, so you might be able to drop off your items when doing your weekly shop.
In the garden
Composting is a great way of recycling your garden and food waste, as well as a free source of nutrient soil for your garden. Composting bins come cheap at your local council or garden centre. You can compost all sorts of items including vegetable peelings, teabags, grass cuttings and leaves, as well as shredded paper, ripped-up cardboard and egg boxes.
Electrical items
As of June 2007, when the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive comes into force, all manufacturers of electrical appliances are obliged to offer you a service to recycle goods when they need replacing. This is great news when it comes to throwing out old TVs, CD and DVD players, as working parts will be put to good use rather than being thrown on the scrapheap.
Reduce and re-use waste
Reducing the amount of waste we produce and coming up with ways of re-using materials we accumulate, is the best way of doing your bit for the environment. Here are a few ideas:
- Re-use carrier bags
- Avoid over packaged goods
- Donate old clothes and goods to charity shops
- Join your local Freecycle group and give away your unwanted items
Related articles
Did you know?
What you can recycle
Get to know which items are commonly recycled:
- Glass bottles and jars
- Aluminium cans, trays and foil
- Steel
- Paper
- Cardboard
- Plastic
- Textiles
- Electrical items
Recycling facts:
- Each UK household produces over one tonne of rubbish annually, amounting to about 31 million tonnes for the UK each year
- On average every person in the UK throws away their own body weight in rubbish every seven weeks
- Every eight months the UK produces enough waste to fill Lake Windermere (the largest lake in England)
- In less than two hours the UK produces enough waste to fill the Albert Hall
- Rubbish collection and keeping our streets clean costs council tax payers about £1.6 billion per year
- Nine out of ten people in England and Wales would recycle more if it was made easier
Source: UKGov and Waste Watch
Useful links
- Your council - Key contacts for recycling in your area
- RecycleNow - For more information on recycling
Your comments (2)
Victoria (Slough), on 20/11/2007 at 12:45
Charging extra money to those who put more rubbish in their bin might mean that they dump it elsewhere: there is plenty of rubbish in the canal, and by the side of the road, where fly-tippers have just dumped and run.
I think there is scope for a rebate on council tax based on the amount going *into* the recycling bin. In that way, people would *earn* for recycling. What's the worst that could happen?
PixieMouse (Milton Keynes), on 20/09/2007 at 17:21
I think the reason a lot of people do not recycle is because you have to think about what it is they are throwing away, and to some this is too much like hard work. I try to recycle as much as possible, and have started using a kitchen caddy to recycle raw veg/fruit egg shells etc. I know a couple of people who have told me they don't recycle, but they know they should. Also the young are a bit clueless too about the whole business, even though in the long run it for their benefit as well as the planet. I truly think each Local Council should introduce pay as you throw away because on the whole the majority will only sit up and take notice if you hit them where it hurts most, in their wallet. Or offer those that can be seen to be doing the right thing a refund on their Council Tax.
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