يومياتMaking recycling easier
Michelle Parkes ·
Recycling in the UK can be a bit of a minefield can’t it?! What goes in what bin? What has to go into general waste and does it need to be clean?
It’s not surprising therefore that research by Beyond the Box found that 53% of people admit it’s easier to throw something in the bin rather than try and work out if it can be recycled.
Add to the mix that different councils across the UK have different rules and it can be hard to decipher.
Here’s some easy tips to help on your recycling journey!
Keep it clean
Cleaner recycling means higher quality resultant materials. So give all your jars and bottles a good rinse before adding to the recycling.
How about those greasy pizza boxes? Sadly these will contaminate if added to your cardboard recycling so give them a miss.
Plastic not fantastic
With 40,000 different types of plastic in existence it’s not surprising that we can get confused about what types we can recycle!
You’re safe with PET 1 bottles, just look for that little symbol on the packaging. And most councils also accept HDPE 2 as well.
That little plastic film on top? Make sure you rip that off. You can save these along with other flimsy packaging like bread bins as some major supermarkets now accept them to recycle in store.
If the plastic film goes to the recycling plant it can get wrapped around machinery and cause it to break down.
Here's a great guide to what can be recycled.
Giving clothes a new lease of life
We may give away clothes to charity when we don’t wear them anymore, but what about clothes that are too worn or have holes in them?
There are lots of textile recycling banks, often at supermarkets. Some councils will even accept a bag of old clothes as part of your recycling.
