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Sorted!
Waste news
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Image courtesy of Borislava-Pepelyashka via Unsplash
If they’re not eaten, the next best thing to do with a leftover pumpkin is to recycle it, either by adding to your food recycling collection or pop it in a home compost heap if you have one. And if you have space, why not save some of the seeds to grow your own next year?
Don’t leave pumpkins to rot outdoors as they can be harmful to some of our wildlife including hedgehogs, birds, foxes and badgers. Please remember to remove your pumpkin decorations as soon as possible and make sure to recycle it.
Together with our household collections contractor, SUEZ UK, we’re celebrating following shortlisting for two MRW National Recycling Awards.
The partnership has been shortlisted for Campaign of the Year – Recycling Incentive and Food Waste Initiative, following the success of the Food Recycling campaign.
The prestigious awards celebrate the UK’s most innovative and impactful recycling, waste and resource management projects.
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If you’re celebrating bonfire night this week, these simple steps can help you have a safe and low-waste night. Be sure to follow the advice from the fire service and other experts.
Before putting fireworks in your rubbish, drench embers and soak used or part-spent fireworks in a bucket of water to prevent a fatal fire.
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Our libraries’ winter coat exchange is now open. Library teams are accepting coat donations, with coats also available for anyone who needs one.
If you have any clean, good-quality adult or children's coats that you no longer need, they’d love to give them a new home. Please bring your donations to participating libraries and hand them to a member of staff.
The annual exchange was launched to help people stretch tight budgets that little bit further. The scheme is simple:
- You can take a coat without making a donation
- You can donate a coat without taking one
- All donations must be of good quality and in a clean condition
- Coats of any shape or size, for adults or children are accepted
Donations are asked to be handed directly to a member of staff at one of the participating libraries. Please remember to check all pockets before donating. We are unable to accept: gloves, scarves, hats, other winter accessories.
Libraries taking part this year include: Bridgwater, Burnham-on-Sea, Chard, Dulverton, Glastonbury, Ilminster, Langport, Minehead, North Petherton, Porlock, Shepton Mallet, Street, Taunton, Wellington, Williton, Yeovil
According to a report by SUEZ, there are 10 items that are causing the most problems for waste teams across the country. When some materials are disposed of incorrectly it can cause significant pressure to recycling and other waste teams.
Sometimes something that may seem harmless can cause the biggest problem.
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Image courtesy of hans-hiprx via Unsplash
As the leaves fall and gardens begin to slow down for winter, November is a good time for a gentle tidy-up. But there’s no need to clear away every leaf and twig – leaving a few undisturbed areas can provide shelter for insects and other garden wildlife.
You can add small amounts of fallen leaves to your home compost bin or collect them separately to make leaf mould – a natural soil improver that is great for the garden. Small twigs can also be cut up and added to a compost heap, where they help create air pockets.
Alternatively, use Somerset’s garden waste collection service or take it to a recycling site. Please don’t put leaves, twigs or other garden waste in your rubbish bin. Recycling it properly helps turn it into useful compost and is kinder to the environment.
It’s the perfect time to get Christmas ready, remember you don’t have to buy new or replace items if they are no longer working.
Many of Somerset’s volunteer-run repair groups can help with small repairs. This could include fixing Christmas lights, battery-operated ornaments, children’s toys and games, or small kitchen appliances such as mixers and slow cookers. They may also be able to mend festive clothing, soft toys and decorations that need simple sewing repairs.
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A little preparation now can make Christmas easier and help keep waste to a minimum. Before buying decorations, gifts or festive supplies, check what you already have. Repair, reuse or donate unwanted items that are still in good condition rather than throwing them away.
If you are having a pre-Christmas clear-out, sort items carefully. Use your recycling boxes and Bright Blue Bag for accepted materials and take larger items or anything unsuitable for kerbside collection to a recycling site. Batteries and small electrical items should always be kept out of your rubbish and recycling containers and presented separately for recycling.
Before recycling, consider what could be reused. Offer unwanted decorations, toys and other items in good condition to friends, family, charities or local reuse groups.
As Christmas deliveries arrive, flatten cardboard boxes and put them out for recycling with your next collection rather than saving them all until Christmas. This will free up space at home and help spread the workload for collection crews. Over Christmas, remember to empty and rinse food packaging and put food scraps in your food waste bin too.
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As the seasons change and stormier weather comes in, remember to stack your boxes where possible to keep them in place when out for collection. Your food waste bin can also be used to weigh down your recycling boxes.
Remember to bring your boxes back in as soon as possible after collection.
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