Celebrate Recycle Week 2025 with Shorts Group

This year’s Recycle Week theme is ​‘Rescue Me! Recycle’. The aim of this week is to educate and challenge us to rescue items from ending up in general waste. Many of us may not realise that some common, everyday items can be recycled. Recycle Week aims to raise awareness of this and encourages people to think about what materials they are throwing into waste.

Why does recycling matter?

• Every item counts – Each item that is recycled multiplies across all organisations, schools, and sites in the UK, making a significant reduction in the number of materials that end up in landfill and incineration.
• More efficient recycling reduces carbon emissions, reduces energy consumption and water use.
• Correctly recycling also saves money in the waste management system and makes the process of sorting and processing waste easier.

Simple ways of rescuing recyclables at home

Here are some tips so you can be a recycling rescuer:

1. Local Rules – Recycling schemes vary in different locations. Find out what materials are allowed in your recycling (helpful link below).
2. Clean things out – Small amounts of food or liquids can contaminate recycling, leading to it being sent to landfill instead.
3. Flatten recycling– Where possible, flatten/​compact recycling such as cardboard takes up less space and is easier to collect.
4. Check symbols – Sometimes plastic types or packaging types have recycling symbols but always check local guidance as some packaging may not be accepted in your area.
5. Don’t assume – It is better to find out if an item be recycled than to hope something gets sorted. Wrong items in the recycling can make more work or cause entire batches to be rejected.

Before you next throw an item into general waste, check whether you can recycle it first. If you are unsure, below is a link to a handy tool that you can use to check what items can be recycled at home and in your area: Recycle an Item

Commonly Recyclable Items That End Up in the Bin

• Batteries- If not recycled properly in designated battery bins, batteries can spark fires and cause significant damage.
• Yoghurt pots- Make sure to wash your pots and pop them in the recycling bin.
• Teabags- Many teabags can be put in your food bin, as long as they are plastic free (check for a recycling sign on packaging).
• Aerosol cans- These can be made into various new metal products, such as car parts, mobile phones or electrical appliances.
• Toilet roll tubes- These are fully recyclable items. Flatten them before recycling.
• Kitchen foil- Many people do not realise that foil can be recycled too! Just ensure it’s clean before putting it in the recycling bin.

At Shorts Group, we are continuously aiming towards our zero waste to landfill goal, to support a more sustainable future. We offer a reliable Trade Waste service throughout Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey and the surrounding counties, including General Waste, Dry Mixed Recyclables, Glass Recycling, Food Waste and Dog Waste Collections. Learn more about the Trade Waste services we can provide you with here.

Let’s commit to rescuing more recyclables and make recycling second nature. Imagine the difference we could make if we each aimed to rescue one item from general waste every week!