Recycle plastics around the home and on the go
A new campaign to encourage people to recycle more plastic around the home and on the go kicks off this week.
As part of national Recycle Week (22-28 June), residents are being urged to not only recycle items from their kitchen, but also from the bathroom, living room and bedroom.
In Hackney, plastic like tubs, pots and milk bottles have the lowest ‘capture rate’ of all recyclable materials. Some 4,800 tonnes are thrown away every year instead of being recycled.
Hackney currently recycles almost 26 per cent of all its waste, but the majority of the rest thrown away by residents could also be recycled. With a disposal cost of over £105 per tonne, it’s not just useful plastic which is being thrown away, but council tax payers’ money.
What’s currently recycled makes a huge difference, so just imagine how much more could be achieved by recycling those items that are sometimes forgotten. We want people to think a little further than the kitchen and recycle items from other rooms.
People can recycle items from around the whole home. From the bathroom, shampoo, cleaning products, and liquid soap bottles should all go in the recycling. Along with the usual milk bottles in the kitchen, washing-up liquid bottles, pots, tubs and trays can be recycled too. And from the cupboard under the sink, bleach and surface cleaner bottles can also be recycled. These plastic items can be turned into football shirts, fleeces and even more plastic bottles.
Spot Plastic Bottle Man and win!
Recycling does not end in the home though. So Plastic Bottle Man will be hitting the streets and parks to remind people to use Hackney’s recycling-on-the-go bins for their plastic drinks bottles and food containers.
If you spot him in the street, take his recycling quiz for a chance to win £25. You can also win by tweeting a picture of yourself using a recycling on the go bin - just tag it #hackneyplastic for your chance to win.