10 things to know about recycling
1 We aren’t recycling as much as we think
According to the latest government statistics, the recycling rate for household waste in the UK stands at just 46 per cent. No doubt this would be higher if the recycling system were less complicated and frustrating, but in the absence of widespread reform, we can learn to navigate it better.
2 Kerbside is not the only option
If an item can’t go in your kerbside collection, it isn’t necessarily destined for landfill instead. There will be other recycling options within your, too. This company works with manufacturers to run recycling schemes for hard-to-process materials such as toothpaste tubes, with public and in-store collection points. Among the more recent initiatives are soft plastic collection points in Sainsbury’s and Co-op stores (other supermarkets are running trials). These have the potential to dramatically increase recycling rates for plastics thanks to the wide range of items accepted, from toilet roll wrappers and plastic sauce sachets to crisp packets and sweet bags. Check out their websites for full details.
