17 December 2015
Residents urged to Recycle Right
Residents in Breckland are being encouraged to think carefully about what they put
in their recycle bins this Christmas to ensure as much recycling as possible is
collected from across the district.
Breckland Council’s new Recycle Right campaign is being launched at a time when
households are likely to find themselves with even more recycling, such as cardboard
packaging, wrapping paper and glass bottles.
Cllr Trevor Carter, Breckland’s Executive Member for Place, said: “By making
sure they recycle right, people can help us maximise the amount of material we can
collect for recycling and minimise the waste we have to send to landfill.”
The council is also calling on people to make sure they don’t put general rubbish into
their recycle bin by mistake as doing so can ruin items which could normally be
recycled.
“People are generally very mindful of what they put in their recycle bins, but there are
some items that tend to come up during the festive season which can cause
confusion,” added Cllr Carter. “For instance, greetings cards and cleaned food and
drink cartons can be recycled, but dirty paper plates, leftover food, old toys and
Christmas trees shouldn’t be put in with the recycling.
“If you put general rubbish in with your recycling it can get mixed up or even damage
the recycling. For example, we can’t recycle paper if it is covered in food, so putting
food in your recycle bin by mistake is likely to ruin the paper and waste the whole lot
– and none of us wants to see that happen.”
Things that can go in your recycle bin

Wrapping paper (minus sticky tape), shredded paper, greetings cards

Clean glass bottles and jars

Clean drink/soup cartons

Clean food tins and drink cans

Clean takeaway cartons

Clean aluminium foil wrap and cartons
Things for the rubbish bin (or elsewhere)

Plastic bags and all bagged waste

Food waste (peelings / raw veg can be composted)

Dirty kitchen foil

Dirty jars, tubs, paper plates

Sticky tape, ribbons and bows

Old toys (could go to a charity shop if in good condition)

Old electricals (these can go to a local Recycling Centre)

Crisp packets and sweet wrappers

Drinking glasses

Light bulbs

Christmas Trees (real ones can go out with garden waste bin if you have one,
or to a Recycling Centre if you don’t. Fake trees can go to Recycling Centre)

Clothing (can go to a clothing recycle point / bank)
A full list of items that can be recycled is at: www.breckland.gov.uk/recycle-right.
ENDS
Media contact:
Matt Barnard, Communications Officer, Breckland Council: 01362 656815.