Plastics

Why recycle plastic Plastic currently makes up around 7% of the average household bin and the UK generates nearly 3 million tonnes every year. Britain puts nearly 455,000 tonnes of plastic into black bins every year. Which equates to nearly 9.1 billion bottles. By recycling just one plastic bottle enough energy is saved to power a 60 Watt light bulb for 6 hours! Over 40% of the waste in our bins is retail packaging … some 4.5 million tonnes of it. Throwing away plastic bags in your black bin and to landfill means they will stay buried in the ground for 500 years before they rot. Alternatively, supermarkets offer bags for life which can be used over and over again and are replaced free of charge. It’s never been easier to sort your plastic for recycling! If you recycle at home using a wheeled bin collection service, everyday items such as plastic milk and drink bottles, margarine tubs and yoghurt pots, shampoo bottles, clean food trays and plastic food containers can all be included (except polystyrene). Please remember to rinse all bottles and containers, remove lids or bottle tops and squash items to reduce their bulk. Please reuse plastic carrier bags or take them to a supermarket collection point for recycling as these cannot go into the recycling bins. Some local councils offer kerbside collection for plastic which you can use to put the appropriate types of clean plastic in. If you do not have a current plastic kerbside collection please visit the “Bank Locator” at www.recycle-more.co.uk to find your nearest bank, or to find your nearest Household Waste Recycling Centre click here. Once you’ve sorted your plastics we can get to work… Household plastics are separated by plastic type by hand and made into a wide variety of products including fleece fabric, composting bins, garden furniture and flooring. It takes 25 recycled plastic soft drink bottles to make one fleece jacket!