As part of national Recycling Week – Monday, 21st September to Sunday, 27th September – Newark and Sherwood District Council is joining in with a range of activities to highlight the importance of recycling.

To show support for the campaign, Newark’s iconic Castle will be lit green throughout the week.

The council is also raising awareness of local environmental groups on its social media channels, including sharing details about the Furniture Project, which collects unwanted and good quality reusable household items and gives them to people and families in times of need.

The council will be sharing the benefits of reducing, reusing and recycling household items on their digital channels too.

The council currently recycles or composts around 33 per cent of all household waste in Newark and Sherwood – that’s equivalent to more than 14,860 tonnes or about one-and-a-half times as heavy as The Eiffel Tower.

But it said it wanted to do more in ensuring extra household waste is reused or recycled in the future. It’s reminding everyone to put the right waste in the right bin to guarantee as much as possible can be recycled.

There are some items that a few residents are still putting in their bins that cause problems. These include plastic bags, punnets, food and textiles, all of which can damage the sorting facility and may result in entire lorry loads of recycling being rejected.

To prevent glass contaminating other materials it isn’t collected in the silver recycling bins, but can be taken to one of the many glass banks around the district where you can also find collection points for textiles, shoes and other materials.

Newark and Sherwood District Council has also brought the Garden Recycling Service back in house in an effort to improve recycling rates, increasing participation to over 14,000 customers.

The council is currently looking at other ways it can have a positive impact on the environment though its ‘making Newark and Sherwood Greener’ plan. This includes planting more trees, establishing more Green Flag awarded parks and more.

The theme for Recycle Now’s 17th annual Recycle Week is to thank those living in Newark and Sherwood for continuing to recycle despite all that has happened this year. Statistics released by WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) show that through lockdown the UK has become even more environmentally aware.

Coming out of lockdown, more people are prepared to change their lifestyles to help the environment: 73 per cent, up from 68 per cent in 2019. Research has also shown that 93 per cent of UK households say they believe that ‘everyone has a responsibility to help towards cleaning up the environment’.

The figures come from research carried out during lockdown and an omnibus survey completed in July by WRAP, the founders of Recycling Week.

District councillor, Roger Jackson said: “We’re excited to be supporting Recycling Week and we hope to raise awareness of the importance of recycling in our communities.

“Looking after our environment is vital for the sustainability of the area and we can all play are part in making a difference. Just one small change can make a difference nationally. And over time if we keep making these small changes it all adds up.”

Peter Maddox, director, WRAP UK, added: “It’s fantastic to see that despite everything that has been thrown at them this year, more people than ever in Newark and Sherwood are taking responsibility for protecting the environment by choosing to recycle. This is something we can all do, wherever we live – an individual action that, when performed by everyone, adds up to a huge change.

“Recycle Week this year is an opportunity to thank everyone in Newark and Sherwood for continuing to recycle, whatever their circumstances and to celebrate the way we have all pulled together. There has been a positive leap forward in attitudes that we must capitalise on so we can all do even better in the coming year!”

For more information on Recycle Now, visit www.recyclenow.com

Comments