Final blue bag rollout almost finished
We’ve almost finished delivering the final roll of 20 blue bags to households that are changing to the new collection service, along with a leaflet explaining how it’ll work.
A small number of households staying on weekly bagged rubbish collections will be getting a roll of 54 blue bags by 22 March.
If you don't receive your allocation, report it on our website after 15 March.
If you live in a flat with a communal bin store, your collections aren’t changing either. You can use any plastic bags to store your rubbish, so won’t get any blue bags.
Food waste: an ap-peel for your support
Our household waste collections are changing in August, with rubbish and recycling emptied every two weeks, but the food waste collections are staying weekly.
Since we started collecting food waste in 2019, the amount that we recycle has been going up every year. However, there’s still plenty of room for improvement.
A recent look at some blue bags put out for collection showed that more than half the contents were recyclable – and food waste made up 20 per cent of the contents.
We currently recycle 57 per cent of all our waste, which is higher than most other parts of the country, but we could hit 70 per cent if we recycled all we can.
If you aren’t already using a free food bin and optional indoor caddy, please pick one up from our hubs as it’s the easiest way to make a positive difference.
By recycling your food waste every week, you also won’t have to worry about having enough space in your wheeled rubbish bin when collections change.
Our website offers more detailed advice on using this service.
Join our Annual Litter Pick
Litter picking events will take place at various locations across the borough next weekend (23 and 24 March). You've still got time to contact your local organiser, if you're interested in taking part.
Recycling aluminium foil is easy
Did you know aluminium is endlessly recyclable?
Recycling our everyday takeaway trays, wrapping foil, foil lids or even chocolate foil reduces carbon emissions and saves energy. It's very easy to do too:
- Scrunch your wrapping foil, foil lids or chocolate foil into a ball the size of a fist and pop it into your green bags
- Wipe or rinse food residue off takeaway and ready meal trays - no need to run the tap, just a quick rinse at the end of the washing up is usually sufficient
- Leave the aluminium screw top lids on jars and wine bottles
Do a scrunch test
Not all shiny wrappers are made of aluminium foil. To check if they are aluminium or plastic, scrunch them in your hand - if they remain scrunched in a ball, they are recyclable.
Be creative with used foil
Calling all primary school pupils to put on their creative thinking hats to win a prize!
Re3, our waste management partner, is inviting children aged five to 11 in Wokingham, Reading and Bracknell Forest boroughs to create a sculpture using clean, unwanted aluminium foil. The theme is spring or nature.
The competition is part of re3's latest campaign to encourage recycling of used foil.
Children can enter the competition individually or through their schools. Help your children take a photo of their masterpiece and email it to re3 by 19 April. Find out more on the re3 website.
Next repair café
The next repair café will be held this Sunday 17 March, from 10am to 1pm, at Lambs Lane Primary School in Spencers Wood (RG7 1YG).
Volunteers will be on standby to fix your broken household items or gardening tools for free. Donations are welcomed to support their running costs.
Free bird box making workshops
The repair café is working with local schools and youth groups to run free bird box making workshops for children aged 11 to 13. Three workshops have been organised so far, with 48 bird boxes built.
Email Billie, the repair café organiser, if you're interested in having a free bird box workshop for your pupils or members.
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