Residents are bei
ng urged to avoid putting waste collection staff and the public in danger from the contents of their recycling containers. The warning comes from Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP), as part of a month-long campaign to improve waste safety. Knives are among the high-risk items left in recycling boxes. Even while wearing safety gloves, collection crews have narrowly escaped injury as they sort recycling boxes by hand. Given the risk to staff and family members, householders are advised not to dispose of anything sharp in their recycling, from knives or scissors to jagged can tops. Full story: Read more
Food waste recycling jumps 20% in trial
A campaign to encourage more recycling of food waste by 115,000 households in Somerset has proved a major success. Based on earlier trials in Street and Wellington, food waste recycling in Taunton Deane, Sedgemoor and the Chard-Ilminster area of South Somerset jumped 20%. If that rate is maintained, an annual extra 1,570 tonnes of food will be recycled, saving Somerset council tax payers £51,000 every year. Full story: Read more
Families go further to recycle around the home
People all across the Somerset will soon be gearing up to recycle items they have probably never considered before with the help of Recycle Week 2015 from 22 to 28 June. Recycle Week’s theme of “recycling around the home” will help remind people go further to expand their recycling routine to all rooms in the home, saving not just the materials from going to waste in costly, polluting landfill but also all the energy needed to extract and create them. Many households regularly recycle kitchen items like plastic milk bottles and glass bottles, but may overlook items from the bathroom, living room and even the bedroom. Full story: Read more