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5 minute read time
Beyond the bin
Written by Ben Perry, sustainability manager
We recently spoke to customers about recycling, but they were unsure how to begin or the correct way to go about it. We caught up with our environmental officer, Ben, who helped clear up questions around recycling.
Check out his top tips for recycling at home:
- No plastic bags in your recycling bin. Plastic bags should be recycled at specialist drop off points and not in your home recycling bin, they can end up clogging sorting equipment at recycling plants. You can use a recycling locator to find a drop off point near you
- Do not recycle the small stuff. Anything smaller than a credit card can also cause issues for sorting machines
- Keep the cap on. Plastic bottles with the cap on are recycled more efficiently, it also stops the contents of a bottle from contaminating other recycling
- Empty, wash and dry. Remember to empty, wash and dry your items. If it is not clean enough to use again it cannot be recycled
- What to do with electronics. Many communities have drop-off locations for electronic waste. Find a drop off location near you
- Getting rid of batteries. Household batteries should be disposed of properly at designated collection points, these can usually be found in your local supermarket
- Mixed materials cannot be recycled. Items like crisp cans and plastic lined coffee cups cannot be recycled as the two materials cannot be separated
- Compost if you can. Check if your community offers composting. Consider composting food scraps and garden waste to stop them going to a landfill
- Donate and repurpose. Clothing, furniture, and other items can often find new life with someone else or be used in a creative new way
Remember, you should also check your local recycling guidelines. Check with your local council what materials are accepted and how they should be sorted.