Recycle Week: Rescuing Valuable Materials
When we think about recycling, our minds often go straight to the everyday items we put into our recycling bins – plastic bottles, cans, cardboard and paper. But recycling goes much further than that.
From food waste and electrical equipment to green waste, soil, aggregates and metals, there are many different materials that can be recovered, recycled, reprocessed or given another useful purpose. By finding the most appropriate route for different waste streams, we can reduce unnecessary disposal and make better use of the resources contained within our waste.
4 Useful Recycling Tips for Businesses and Homeowners
1. Separate Your Waste
Businesses can introduce clearly labelled bins for materials such as cardboard, general recycling and food waste, while homeowners can make use of their household recycling collections and separate recyclable materials before disposal.
Keeping different materials separate can reduce contamination and make it easier for waste to be effectively sorted and recycled.
2. Think Before You Throw
Before putting something in the general waste bin, ask yourself: Could this be reused, recycled or recovered instead?
Cardboard boxes can be flattened and recycled, garden waste can be turned into compost, and many everyday packaging materials can be recycled rather than thrown away.
For businesses producing larger quantities of waste, reviewing what is regularly being disposed of can also help identify opportunities to introduce dedicated recycling collections.
3. Keep Recycling Clean
Contamination can make recycling more difficult, so make sure recyclable items are as clean as reasonably possible before putting them in the recycling.
Food residue, liquids and other contaminants can affect the quality of recyclable materials.
4. Don’t Forget About Food and Green Waste
Recycling isn’t just about cardboard, cans and plastic. Food waste can be collected separately and diverted from general waste, while green waste such as grass cuttings, leaves and other suitable organic material can also be recycled.
Create your own compost pile with your food scraps and garden waste and help to feed your plants!
Where Does Your Waste Go Once We Collect It?
Have you ever wondered what happens to your waste after one of our vehicles collects it?
The answer depends on the type of material. Different waste streams require different processes, which is why sorting and separating waste correctly is so important.
Take a look at our interactive infographic to find out more.
Whether you’re a homeowner or a business, improving your recycling doesn’t have to mean making huge changes.
Start by looking at what you regularly throw away. Could cardboard be separated? Could food waste have its own collection? Could green waste be recycled? Are electrical items being disposed of correctly?
Even small changes can help ensure more materials are recovered and given another useful purpose.
In need of a reliable business waste provider? Contact us today:
Tel: 0800 40 80 400
Email: wasteteam@shorts-group.co.uk
