Never throw batteries away with general rubbish or other recycling. Used batteries must only be recycled using specialist battery recycling services.

Used batteries thrown away with other waste and recycling are likely to be crushed or punctured once the waste is collected and processed. Some battery types in particular, like lithium-ion (Li-ion) and nickel-metal Hydride (NiMH), can ignite or even explode when they’re damaged. Once this happens, the batteries can quickly set fire to other materials present in the waste, like paper, leading to serious incidents that put lives at risk and disrupt services.

It’s not always obvious that a product contains a battery, so they can be thrown into the bins by mistake. In particular, products like laptops, tablets, mobile phones, radio-controlled toys, bluetooth devices, shavers, electric toothbrushes, power tools, scooters and even e-cigarettes contain batteries that are hidden or difficult to access.

Please recycle your batteries safely using designated collection points at a recycling centre or electronics retailer.

Net Zero Week 2022 ran from 2 to 8 July and was created to help consumers and businesses understand how they can become net zero.

Net Zero is the world’s answer to global warming and in June 2019 the UK became the first major economy in the world to pass laws to end our contribution to climate change.  It is a collective commitment to reduce all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. It is achieving a balance between the amount of greenhouse gases we emit and the amount we remove.

Consumers are responsible for 33% of emissions, so researchers took to Beeston High Road to find out what Nottinghamshire's shoppers already know about their ability to impact net zero.

Although few people had heard of Net Zero Week, it was unanimously agreed that it’s a great idea, with requests made for more publicity and information about the impacts of climate change.

Beeston residents were keen to share their thoughts on how we can all make a difference. Their great tips included recycling right, home composting, using reusable bags and  shopping from charity stores. 

Many people in Nottinghamshire think that their general waste ends up in landfill. The good news is that almost 95% of the general waste collected from the kerbside by the Borough and District Councils is taken to an Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) and used to make electricity.

At the ERF the waste is burned at temperatures in excess of 850 degrees centigrade. Above the incinerator is a large boiler where the superheated steam is generated. The steam is used to drive the turbine, generating electricity for the National Grid. The gas produced goes through an abatement process to ensure that what goes up the chimney is safe for the environment.

If everyone in the UK recycled one empty bathroom cleaner bottle, we could save enough energy to vacuum 82,460 homes.

The top 10 things everyone can recycle from their bathroom:

• Shampoo bottles
• Conditioner bottles
• Shower gel and bubble bath bottles
• Cardboard boxes e.g. toothpaste or soap boxes
• Toilet roll tubes
• Bathroom cleaner and bleach bottles
• Deodorant cans
• Shaving foam can
• Hand soap bottles
• Moisturiser bottles

Just remember to make sure everything is empty and clean and please take off the top if it is a spray or pump action bottle.

Did you know that 1.4 million wearable school uniforms are thrown away every year? So if you are planning on buying some uniform ready for September, why not consider preloved items from a uniform exchange, or you could donate clothing that has been outgrown.

Rhubarb is very much in season now that the warm weather is upon us, so why not use it to the full with this delicious and easy recipe from our Love Your Leftovers cookbook?

Ingredients:

2 sticks of rhubarb (250g)                  1 tsp butter

Zest and juice of ½ orange                 250g granulated sugar

Method:

1. Cut rhubarb stalks into small chunks (dice) and place into a large bowl with the orange zest and juice.
2. Microwave on full power for 4 to 5 minutes until rhubarb has softened.
3. Stir in the sugar and butter and stir to dissolve.
4. Microwave on full power for 3 minutes.
5. Stir and cook for a further 3 minutes (be careful as this will now be hot and sticky).
6. Pour into a sterilised jam jar, cover with wax disc and leave to cool.

Many festival goers buy cheap tents and leave them behind at the end hoping that they will get recycled, but unfortunately most are not recycled and can cause problems for the environment if just discarded.

To make sure your festival is a green one here are some tips to help:

• Choose a better quality tent that can be taken home and used again.
• Look on the Festival website before you go to see what arrangements have been made for recycling.
• Look for a charity point on the site. Many will take unwanted tents and sleeping bags.
• Take all camping equipment home and donate it to a charity if it is no longer wanted.