County council launch new recycling campaign

LEICESTERSHIRE County Council wants to help residents ‘recycle right’ with the launch of a new campaign which focuses on reducing the amount of contamination in Leicestershire’s recycling bins.

In caring for the environment, we all want to recycle as much as we can, and Leicestershire residents are already recycling just over 45 per cent of what they throw away.

However, a number of incorrect items are being put into recycling bins, which can prevent good material from being recycled.

Last year, 5,500 tonnes of material placed in recycling bins in Leicestershire was rejected due to wrongly recycled items, such as disposable nappies and food waste - spoiling good quality, recyclable material.

The county council is now working with district and borough councils to improve Leicestershire’s recycling output, and, with the help of clear information and advice, wants residents to take responsibility for their own rubbish by making sure that the right things are going in the right bins.

Blake Pain, county council cabinet member for environment and transport, said: “In Leicestershire, we deal with about 305,000 tonnes of waste a year and 55,000 tonnes of that is recyclable material, of which, there is a certain amount of contamination.

“As a county we are aiming to recycle 50 per cent of all household waste by 2020. The less we contaminate our recycling, the easier it will be to meet targets, reduce costs and contribute towards a more environmentally sustainable place to live.”

For more information on what can and can’t be recycled in your recycling bin or bag, visit www.lesswaste. org.uk .