Packing up the Christmas waste
Mon, January 09, 2017
Now the festive season has drawn to a close and we are packing Christmas away, there are a number of opportunities to recycle or reuse the items we no longer need.
Choosing to recycle or reuse reduces pressure on black household bins and the amount of unnecessary waste sent to landfill.
Christmas can be a time of excess but some simple tips can help minimise the impact this might have on our environment.
Why not consider some of the following opportunities:
- All staffed household recycling centres (HRCs) can accept real Christmas trees which will be shredded and composted as part of Council’s composting operations.
- At least 500 tonnes of Christmas lights will be discarded after Christmas but don’t forget that if they are in good working order your local charity shop may be grateful for them and if broken they can be deposited in the electrical recycling facilities offered at HRCs.
- For those who may be clearing out clothing, furniture or electrical goods to make way for new items, consider charity shops as a first option or your local household recycling centre if these are beyond use.
- Charity shops will gratefully accept any unwanted gifts with some offering rewards in return.
- All household recycling centres accept glass jars, glass containers and cardboard which can mount up over Christmas.
- If you do visit a household recycling centre to deposit some waste, why not check out the range of recycling options available through these facilities. You may be surprised at exactly what can be accepted.
- If you are beginning 2017 with a decluttering resolution why not check out https://www.causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk/live/bins-and-recycling for information and support on how to manage waste.
Council is also expanding its Food Smart campaign this year, encouraging people of all ages to reconnect with and revalue food as we attempt to reduce the potential two wheelie bins of food waste each household in our Borough discards each year.
This campaign will seek to engage individuals, families, communities, food retailers and other bodies in an effort to get people talking about food, recognising its importance and ultimately minimising the amount we waste which has a financial and environmental cost. Details of how to become involved are also on the Council website at https://www.causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk/live/bins-and-recycling/food-smart-campaign
For more information on waste management at home please check out the council website or contact your local office and ask to speak to the Recycling Officer.