Wychavon has released a list of the top ten items people are most confused about how to dispose of to help residents get their recycling right this Christmas.
The list is based on actual searches carried out by residents using Wychavon’s searchable Right Waste, Right Place web tool during last year’s festive season.
The tool contains thousands of items and explains what people should do with each one - from recycling them in the green bin to taking them to a Household Recycling Centre or donating them to charity. If residents cannot find an item, they can make a suggestion, and Wychavon’s staff will find the answer and add it to the database.
Last Christmas, books, aluminium foil and shredded paper occupied the top three spots on the list, with plastic pots, aerosol cans and batteries also featuring heavily.
The list is part of Wychavon’s efforts to help residents cut down on what they throw away at the most wasteful time of the year, as well as reduce the amount of incorrect items that end up in the green recycling bin.
Father Christmas has been supporting Wychavon this year by releasing a new top recycling and waste reduction tip every day up to Christmas Day on the council’s social media channels.
There is also a dedicated festive waste and recycling page with more top tips and information on changes to bin collections over the Christmas and New Year period.
Cllr Emma Stokes, Executive Board Member for Resident and Customer Service on Wychavon District Council, said: “If you’re not sure what to do with the mountains of wrapping paper, foil trays, batteries and other waste you end up with over the festive season, then give our waste and recycling search a try and help us put the right waste, in the right place, this Christmas.”
Visit www.wychavon.gov.uk/christmas-waste to try out the Right Waste, Right Place search tool, find festive waste reduction tips or for information on Christmas bin collection changes.
Wychavon’s festive top ten most confused items list
- Books - these cannot be recycled in your green bin. Please donate them to charity, pass on to friends or family or sell them online.
- Aluminium foil/aluminium foil trays/aluminium pie cases – if clean, scrunch into a ball and store it somewhere. Keep adding to your ball of foil until the next time you have to visit a Household Recycling Centre and put it in the metal container.
- Shredded paper – put into a cereal box or envelope and put in your green bin. Do not put in loose.
- Aerosol can (empty) - put in your green bin.
- Ink cartridges - some manufacturers provide their own recycling scheme when you buy new cartridges, or take them to Household Recycling Centres in Wychavon.
- Plastic pots, tubs and trays – any plastic pot, tub, bottle or tray (including plant pots) of any colour can be recycled except for black. Lids can be left on bottles.
- Electricals (small) – Anything with a plug or battery can be taken to a Household Recycling Centre for recycling. In Wychavon, small appliances of a certain size can be put on top of your black bin and crews will put them in a special cage under the collection vehicle and take them for recycling. See Wychavon’s website for more information.
- Batteries - take these to a battery recycling point at your local supermarket or large store where batteries are sold. In Wychavon, they can also be taken to Household Recycling Centres or put in a bag on top of your black bin and crews will take them for recycling.
- Plastic bags – take these to the soft or flexible plastic recycling point at your local supermarket or reuse them.
- Toothpaste tubes – put these in your black bin or visit the Terracyle website to find a local recycling scheme. Please do not put them in your green bin.
