The Reduce, Reuse, Recycling Fund is a community grant designed to support projects that help people to think differently about waste. Grants of up to £1,000 are available for not-for-profit community groups, schools and charities based in the county of Nottinghamshire (excluding the city of Nottingham).  

Funding can be granted for a variety of projects and activities including practical equipment, physical or online workshops, social media campaign support, educational activities and awareness raising. This can be anything from swap shop events to repair workshops, community gardens (which make use of reused, reclaimed, or recycled materials), to food growing, food waste reduction initiatives and composting schemes. Campaigns to promote reducing, reusing or recycling can also be included, and those which address contamination (the wrong things being put in the recycling bin).  

These projects could be at home, school, place of work, online or at a local event. We are looking for creative and innovative ideas which inspire. 

Could you benefit from a grant?  

Applications for 2024 are now open and can be made until Friday 28 June 2024. The grant information leaflet, application form, terms and conditions and examples of past projects can all be found on the Veolia website. Alternatively please call 0203 567 4391 or email nottsenquiries@veolia.co.uk for further information. 

This year International Compost Awareness Week takes place from 5 to 11 May. It’s the biggest date in the composting calendar and the goal is to raise public awareness on why we all should be composting our organics and using compost to create healthier soil. 

Making your own compost at home is a great way to reduce your waste, improve your garden and reduce your carbon footprint. Did you know a year of home composting saves as much CO2 as the amount produced by your kettle in a year?  

We are offering you a chance to win one of three paper plant pot maker kits.

These kits are easy to use and reduce the need for plastic plant pots, will save you money and help the environment at the same time. You can make three different sized pots which are perfect for seeds, seedlings and young plants.  

Potatoes are easy to grow, great value and simple to cook. It’s a huge shame that the humble spud is also one of the country’s most wasted foods.  

According to Love Food Hate Waste, 4.4 million potatoes are thrown out in the UK each day. So, before you head for the bin why not freeze those leftover potatoes? They can be frozen no matter how they’re cooked, and uncooked potatoes just need a 5-minute boil before they’re ready to be frozen too.

You could also try this delicious recipe which uses leftover mashed potatoes. 

Did you know that fewer items get recycled from the bathroom than any other part of the house? Whilst most of the packaging in kitchens across the UK is recycled, it is estimated that only around 50% of bathroom packaging reaches the recycling bin.

Check out our top ten list of bathroom recyclables: 

1. Shampoo bottles 
2. Conditioner bottles 
3. Shower gel and plastic bubble bath bottles
4. Cardboard boxes e.g. toothpaste or soap boxes
5. Toilet roll tubes 
6. Bathroom cleaner and bleach bottles 
7. Deodorant spray cans without lids 
8. Shaving foam cans without lids 
9. Plastic hand soap bottles 
10. Plastic moisturiser bottles 

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

Sometimes recyclable items from the bathroom get missed as there might only be one bin in the smallest room in the home. If you have any space, could you add another small bin to collect these items? If not, how about a bag on a hook on the back of the door so these easily recyclable items don’t go to waste?

With lighter evenings on the way, our 12 recycling centres have extended their opening times by two hours.  

The recycling centres will be open from 8am to 8pm every day of the week until 30 September.

Bank holidays and weekends are usually very busy at the recycling centres so we'd recommend visiting in the mornings or evenings when the recycling centres tend to be quieter. Before you visit it's a good idea to check your mobile phone to find your nearest recycling centre. Google Maps will not only give you directions, but it can also highlight traffic on your route and show how busy the recycling centres are in real time. Better to plan your trip in advance rather than waste your precious time queuing.  

Remember, you'll need to register your vehicle before coming along to any of our sites. It’s really easy to do and only takes a few minutes using either the free MyNotts app or our website.