Better Recycling - which bin does it go in?!
For all of us, the introduction of Better Recycling means big changes in how we sort waste at home. To make the new service as easy for you as possible, here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.
1. Where do my crisp packets go?
Please put them in your black bin. Crisp packets are made out of two different materials sealed together making them non-recyclable.
2. Our blue-lidded bin is filling up fast. What can we do?
It depends on your lifestyle, but we advise squashing all your plastic bottles and TetraPaks (drinks cartons) as well as flattening aluminium cans and tins once empty. Head over to our website to learn how to reduce your waste and care and re-use what you already have. Our A-Z of recycling provides practical advice of how to correctly dispose of many common items.
3. Where can I find a simple breakdown of what goes in which bin?
We have downloadable and printer-friendly pictorial guides of what goes in which bin available on our website. You'll find QR codes on all of them that lead you to YouTube videos if you prefer that format more.
Fashion Footprints by Ellen Dréau
Acknowledging the mark on the environment left behind by your clothes is a key part of being a conscious consumer, and with 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions coming from the fashion industry – more than aviation and shipping combined! – the fashion industry is a huge impact on our environment*.
In some parts of the industry, the cost is not only to the environment. In fast fashion, a market still predicted to grow exponentially, affordability for the individual stands on the shoulders of inhumane working conditions, and forever chemicals.
These costs can never be justified, but consumers can reduce their impact by shopping ethically (from brands committed to circular solutions), and making clothes’ lifecycles last longer. For example, in 2025, 2,590 tonnes of re-wearable clothes and shoes (that could have been diverted elsewhere) were disposed of at the kerbside in Suffolk. Through reducing, repairing, reusing, and recycling, clothes can be made to last longer, and lessen the need for more.
So, how can we help?
1. Reduce – instead of buying brand-new, try:
- Second-hand apps, e.g. Freegle, Freecycle, Vinted, Gumtree, Depop, eBay and Facebook Marketplace,
- Borrowing or renting clothes,
- Visiting charity shops or car boot sales.
2. Repair – before deciding an item is unwearable, try:
- Repairing, or asking for help from a friend or family,
- Visiting a repair café. Find your nearest one here.
3. Reuse – instead of throwing clothes away, try:
- Donating to charity, second-hand shops, or car boot sales,
- Using second-hand sites to sell or give away clothes.
4. Recycle – instead of taking an item out of circulation, try:
- Going to a Suffolk Recycling Centre,
- Putting damaged / low quality textiles in a textile bank.
Clothes are meant to be worn, repaired, passed on, reworn and circulated, not thrown away after a few wears**. We should all aim to be conscious consumers, understanding the journey our clothes took to get to us, and where they could go next, and leaving behind a clean print.
* https://www.wrap.ngo/sites/default/files/2023-11/textiles-2030-annual-progress-report-2022-23.pdf
** https://fashion-a-holic.com/reports/fast-fashion-environmental-impact-2026
New Ipswich Recycling Centre
We are pleased to announce that work has commenced on the re-development of the site on the Hadleigh Road Industrial Estate, which will provide a new and improved Recycling Centre to replace the current facility on Portman’s Walk in Ipswich.
The new site will provide a split-level service removing the need for the public to use stairways, will remove the need to close the site when changing containers and will eliminate queuing on the highway. The site should open to the public before the end of 2027.
Picnic Perfect by FoodSavvy
Food Savvy’s Summer Picnic pages are packed with summer recipe inspiration to help you enjoy delicious food while minimising waste. From a tasty Summer Greens Filo Pie and colourful Tabouleh to Red Pepper Hummus, Fermented Carrot Sticks and refreshing Yoghurt Fruit Ice Lollies, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Planning a BBQ? Food Savvy has plenty of ideas to impress family and friends, including burgers, kebabs and other crowd-pleasing dishes that make the most of ingredients you may already have at home.
While exploring Picnic Perfect pages you'll be able to find links to even more picnic favourites, including sausage rolls, picnic pies, cupcakes and vegetarian options, helping you create the perfect spread for any summer gathering.
