Merseyside waste officers have launched a campaign to help boost the region’s recycling rate by up to 40,000 tonnes.
The ‘Little Known Items’ campaign is targeting materials that people may be unaware can be taken to a Recycling Centre, such as takeaway coffee cups, hard plastics, batteries, books, textiles and small electrical appliances.
The initiative is the work of Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority (MRWA) and resource management company Veolia who are hoping to collect up to 40,000 tonnes of materials for recycling or reuse that might otherwise go to waste. Information leaflets will be handed out to visitors at all Merseyside’s Recycling Centres over the next month, and banners will be on site promoting the initiative.
Councillor Graham Morgan, Chairperson of MRWA, said: “Some of these items may seem small, but remember to take them to the Recycling Centre next time you visit, because they add up. Recycling more of these items would mean we could recover on average an extra 40,000 tonnes of material every year.”
The Recycling Centres, which are open seven days a week, are situated throughout the region with all 14 available to use for all Merseyside householders. They accept all sorts of household materials for recycling, from cans and cardboard, through to garden clippings, glass bottles, wood, and white goods.
Jeff Sears, Director at Veolia said: “This campaign is highlighting the lesser known items which are not collected as part of household waste recycling collections, so often get thrown away in the residual bin instead. Instead of doing this, take them to a Recycling Centre which accepts items such as takeaway coffee cups, clothes, plastic toys and garden furniture, CD and DVD plastic covers and electrical items.”
For instance, although they are made largely of paper, takeaway coffee cups are lined with plastic polyethylene, which is tightly bonded to the paper making the cups waterproof and therefore able to contain liquid. This means that they have to be collected in specialist bring banks so they can be processed separately.
A Van Permit scheme is in operation at all the Merseyside sites meaning if you are planning to use a van or large trailer then you will need to make a booking in advance by contacting Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority.
The Recycling Centres are open every day of the year, except for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.