 No garden waste in general waste or recycling bags
We are getting reports that some residents are putting garden waste in their general waste or recycling bags.
Garden waste, if mixed with other recycling items or general waste, cannot be sorted and separated for recycling.
Your grass clippings can be turned into compost, providing a host of benefits to the environment.
Consider using our Garden Waste Collection Service and reduce the amount of waste being burned or sent to landfill.
 How our garden waste is recycled
Garden waste can be turned into a nutritious soil conditioner which improves soil structure and help plants grow.
All garden waste collected from residents sent to a composting site managed by re3, our waste management partner. The entire composting process takes 12 weeks and is carried out in different stages:
- First, materials that are not compostable are removed at the site. The remaining waste will be shredded and laid out to decompose in the open air.
- The pile is turned frequently to provide oxygen that micro-organisms need as the materials decompose.
- A high temperature between 65 to 80ºC is maintained for a minimum of 7 consecutive days to kill off harmful weeds, seeds and plant diseases.
- Finally, the compost is screened to remove any remaining contaminants before they are bagged for sale at the re3 recycling centres.
To ensure quality products can be made, all plastic items such as plant pots, plant labels, caps or hose tops should be removed from your garden waste. Food and animal waste should not go in your garden waste recycling, nor should grass cuttings with herbicides.
 Waste less, recycle more – tips to save money
As the cost of living keeps going up, we may want to look for other ways to save money. Here are some simple things that you can do to save more while helping the environment.
Make the most of your toiletries
Before throwing your toiletries away, open up your shampoo, conditioner and shower gel bottles and use the remaining drops.
On average, 20ml of shampoo is discarded if a bottle is not fully emptied. You may leave your shampoo or soap bottles to drain in a spare dish and store it in an old tub of bath salts.
Toothpaste tubes can be cut in half when they seem empty. You may be able to get some more toothpaste out each tube, which can last for a few extra days.
Turn off standby energy
Did you know that 1% of global emissions are from products on standby?
According to research conducted by the Energy Saving Trust, 9 to 16 per cent of your electricity bill is attributed to electronics on standby. Research by British Gas found that the most expensive item to leave on standby is televisions (£24.61/year), followed by set-top boxes (£23.10/year) and microwaves (£16.37/year).
Simply by turning off switches on the wall, you can not only save money, but also reduce carbon emissions.
Freeze food
Did you know freezing food helps your freezer run more efficiently? A full freezer uses less energy and helps reduce your energy bills.
There are more reasons for freezing food. For example, you do not need to buy as much for your next meal, if you freeze leftovers instead of throwing them away. You can also stop food from going bad by freezing it and then eating it at a later date.
 Avoid contamination in recycling
Recycling contamination means adding things that cannot be recycled in your recycling bag or not putting the right recycling items in it.
When a load of recycling has too many non-recycleable items in it, it potentially prevents the whole lorry load of materials from being recycled. Research reveals that 82 per cent of UK households add one or more items to their recycling collection that is not accepted locally.
To help reduce recycling contamination, please do not put these items in your green recycling bags:
- Garden waste
- Soft plastics
- Animal waste
- Disposable nappies
- Glass cookware, Pyrex and ovenware, drinking glasses and ceramics
- Sticky tape
- Tissues, wet wipes, cotton buds and cotton wool
For more on recycling contamination, visit Recycle Now website.
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