Residents across County Durham are getting it right when it comes to recycling their rubbish. The County Council launched the “Bin it right” campaign in April to get people to put the right items in the right bin to stop recyclable material being contaminated and made unusable.
Recycling assistants have knocked on nearly 30,000 doors and given advice to thousands of people and early indications show the message is getting across with fewer items, such as nappies, pet waste, plastic children’s toys, polystyrene, clothes and food, going in with the recycling.
Cllr Brian Stephens, said: “Residents are responsible for their own waste and we would like to thank people for recycling items in the correct way. Recycling assistants are working with crews to help residents understand what items go in which bin. If non-recyclable items are spotted before being tipped into the wagon it saves the whole load from being rejected. Contaminated waste not only reduces recycling rates but also costs the authority about £100 a tonne in alternative disposal.”
Alan Patrickson, head of projects and business services, Durham County Council, said: “The amount collected for recycling has increased by more than 30 per cent since the introduction of the blue lidded recycling bins in 2012 and this latest campaign is helping residents to keep putting the right items in the right bin.
“On the whole, County Durham residents are good recyclers and with this campaign we have been looking to reduce the 10 per cent of waste that ends up contaminated and no good for recycling.”
Contaminated bins will not be emptied and in the case of repeated contamination, residents will be notified directly by letter and asked to remove the contaminated items before putting the bin out for collection.
Recyclable items should be washed and squashed where possible and placed loose in the recycling bin without being bagged. Further information on what items go where is available at www.durham.gov.uk/whatgoeswhere or call 03000 26 1000.
Residents can also recycle waste at household waste recycling centres or arrange a bulky waste collection for larger items. For household waste recycling centre opening times visit www.durham.gov.uk/hwrc. To arrange a bulky waste collection visit www.durham.gov.uk/bulkywaste