We hope you have received your goody bags! The bags are recyclable at most major supermarkets and collection points, but if you are unsure where to recycle it, we have teamed up with WRAP, the recycling experts, who have provided us with the Recycling Locator below. Simply type in your postcode where requested below to find the nearest place to recycle your bag.
Recycling Made Easy
We know recycling is a topic that many find confusing but it’s worthwhile and once you get the hang of it can be very easy.
If each of us re-used or recycled just one more thing each day, it would make a huge difference. For example, recycling one bleach bottle saves enough energy to power a streetlight for 6 ½ hours! You can become an even better recycler by doing the following:
- If it’s plastic and bottle shaped, recycle it
Most of us recycle. But in the UK, we only recycle 58% of bottles at home. We can do better! Just empty, crush and replace the lids before recycling. And remember to recycle bleach and detergent bottles. Trigger sprays can be left on cleaning bottles.
- Remember to recycle from the bathroom
Whilst almost 90% of people in the UK claim to regularly recycle from the kitchen, only 52% say they regularly recycle from the bathroom. It’s important to make sure we recycle here too – in fact, if everyone in the UK recycled one toothpaste box, it would save enough energy to run a fridge in over 2,000 homes for a year. As well as toothpaste boxes, toilet roll tubes, aerosols, shower gel, soap, shampoo and conditioner bottles can all be recycled – but take the pump dispenser off liquid soap bottles first. For quick hacks on bathroom recycling check out: https://www.recyclenow.com/recycling-knowledge/recycling-bathroom
- Give it a quick rinse
For pots, tubs and trays, just give them a quick rinse before recycling them; remember to remove the plastic film. There’s no need to get every spot of food off, and dishwashing them is a step too far – and a waste of energy!
- Leave the lid on
When recycling glass, empty the contents then put the lid back on – including the metal lids on jam jars and the caps on bottles. Glass reprocessors separate them and are very grateful for them too! Don’t put drinking glasses or Pyrex cookware in the recycling – these are made from different materials which can’t be recycled.
- Remove food from card packaging
Remove chunks of food from paper and card packaging before recycling. For example, you can put in the pizza box, just make sure that any food has been removed.
- Use the scrunch test
Not sure if a piece of paper can be recycled? Try scrunching it up in your hand. If it doesn’t spring back, then it can be recycled. It’s a good test to use with wrapping paper. And if you’re recycling birthday cards, tear off any glittery bits first.
- Give it a quick squish
Give cans and plastic bottles a quick squish – that’ll save room in your recycling bin and make them more efficient to transport. Scrunch foil items loosely together to help them get through the sorting process without getting lost.
- If you’re not sure, check
If you’re not sure if, how or where you can recycle an item, visit the Recycle Now Recycling Locator www.recyclenow.com – just put in your postcode and the answer will pop up.
Never ever:
- Put a nappy in the recycling bin.
- Put medical supplies like syringes in the recycling bin.
- Put your recycling in a black bag – chances are high that it will be mistaken for rubbish.
Remember that by recycling, you are disposing of rubbish in the most environmentally friendly way. We are a nation of recyclers – and we really are making a difference!