With news on: Swindon to extend food waste recycling trial; Brits ‘recycling less than five years ago’; Veolia WEEE scheme raises £ 1100 for charity; and, Somerset food waste campaign feeds success.
Swindon to extend food waste recycling trial
With more than 380 tonnes collected from 11,000 households in 26 weeks, Swindon is to extend its food waste recycling trial until the end of August 2020.
The town became the first in Wiltshire to introduce a weekly food waste collection service in September 2019 (see letsrecycle.com story).
Each house involved in the trial received a five-litre indoor grey caddy and a 23-litre green caddy for outdoor use
With the trial initially supposed to end this month, Swindon borough council’s cabinet is now to decide by June 2020 whether to roll out the service to the rest of the borough.
Councillor Maureen Penny, Swindon borough council’s cabinet member for transport and the environment, said: “I am thrilled that so many residents have been taking part in the food waste trial, the amount of food waste we have collected has exceeded all of our expectations.
“I hope that residents continue to make the most of all of our recycling services and help us to meet government recycling targets by the end of the year.
The food waste contract is shared between Devizes-based waste management company Grist Environmental and Swindon borough council.
Once collected, food waste is processed at the Codford Biogas anaerobic digestion plant near Warminster in Wiltshire.
Brits ‘recycling less than five years ago’
More than 3.6 million Brits are recycling less than they did five years ago, according to research undertaken by the Ideal Home Show and sponsored by Natwest.
Almost a fifth of those who recycle less said they avoid doing so as it feels too complicated, blaming uncertainty on what can and cannot be recycled in their area.
Nearly two thirds of Brits feel upcycling their existing furniture helps them be more sustainable
However, the Ideal Home Show says its research found 60% of Brits feel upcycling their existing furniture helps them be more sustainable and 72% donate old furniture to charity.
Giles Perry, event director at Media10, organisers of the Ideal Home Show, said: “We’re sad to see that Brits have become disillusioned with recycling in recent years, but we’re pleased to see that this isn’t being reflected in the home when it comes to the topic of sustainability more broadly.”
Research was taken from an independent study of 2,000 UK adults, conducted by market research company 3GEM in February 2020.
Veolia WEEE scheme raises £ 1100 for charity
Nottinghamshire residents helped raise more than £1000 for charity by recycling waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) at the county’s 12 recycling centres throughout December and January.
Waste management company Veolia donated £5 to the Motor Neurone Disease Association for every tonne of small WEEE taken to the sites.
The cheque being presented to the Motor Neurone Disease Association
Nottinghamshire county council chairman Kevin Rostance said: “This campaign has helped us to collectively raise vital funds for Motor Neurone Disease Association.
“Thank you to everyone who has helped not only the charity, but the environment too by having a greener Christmas.”
More than 217 tonnes of small domestic household appliances was brought to the sites and £1,086 was raised, which Veolia has rounded up to £1,100.
Sharon King at the Motor Neurone Disease Association said: “The funds raised by Veolia will really help to give respite care to families affected by this cruel disease.”
Somerset food waste campaign feeds success
A food waste recycling campaign in Somerset has driven up recycling rates in the campaign area by around 30%, according to the Somerset Waste Partnership.
While Slim My Waste, Feed My Face has been rolled out only across half the county, participating families have requested 8,500 free food waste containers to start or restart food recycling.
Stickers are delivered to each home so residents can decorate their food waste bin with a face
A Somerset Waste Partnership spokesperson said: “These are fantastic early results, proving the serious value of this fun campaign in getting residents to recycle all they can, turning so-called waste into a valuable resource that can light the darkness and put meals on the table.”
“Recycling food waste is far cheaper, more productive and less polluting than burying it in landfill to generate greenhouse gases.
“By nudging people to do the right thing, the campaign will swiftly make back all its costs, and generate further saving for other vital local services.”
The campaign delivers colourful bin reminders and ‘make-a-face stickers’ to the 260,000 participating homes.
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Source: letsrecycle.com Waste Managment
