 Bottle tops are recyclable
Did you know that bottle tops are recyclable, even though they might seem to be made from different plastics than the bottles themselves?
Since bottle tops are often too small to be processed on their own during recycling process, it's best to keep the lids screwed tightly on the plastic bottles before placing them in your green bags. This ensures they’re processed together with the bottles, helping the entire item stay intact during sorting at the recycling facility.
Remember - Any type of tops, including trigger sprays and soap pumps can be recycled!
 Don't bin your unwanted electricals
The biggest shopping season of the year is here! Every year, millions of electrical household items are bought between Black Friday and Christmas, yet millions of them are abandoned.
Binning your unwanted electricals means precious materials like gold, silver and copper are lost forever. Some electricals also have hidden batteries in them, which can cause fires when binned.
There are ways to avoid your old electricals going to waste:
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Repair: take your faulty electrical household items to one of the repair cafes in our borough. All repairs are free. Check out our last issue for a full list of locations
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Donate: if your old electrical items are still in working condition, take them to your local charity shops or the re-use area at re3 recycling centres, where the national charity Sue Ryder collects suitable items for sale in their shops
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Take back: electrical retailers must offer to take back waste of the same type of product or with the same function as the one you buy from them. Some may even take back all types of electrical and electronic equipment that they sell
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Recycle: if your old electricals are beyond repair and no longer functional, take them to a recycling centre or retailer near you. Anything with a plug, battery, or cable can be recycled
Useful tool
Use the online Electrical Recycling Locator to find the nearest place to recycle, repair or donate your unwanted electrical items.
 Best tips to recycle cardboard packaging
Online shopping deliveries often come in cardboard boxes, which are mostly recyclable. Here are some best practices for recycling them:
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Remove plastic or polystyrene inserts: Bubble wrap can be recycled at major supermarkets along with other plastic bags. Polystyrene can't be recycled at the kerbside and should be disposed of in your black rubbish bin
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Flatten and cut the boxes: this will save space in your recycling bags. You don't need to remove the sticky tape or packaging labels, but consider cutting out any parts that show personal information
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Remove contaminated parts: Paper and cardboard with dirt, paint or glitter can't be recycled. Cut these parts out before placing the rest in your green bags
 Send merry wishes sustainably
Christmas is just round the corner! We're all getting ready for this joyful time of the year.
Sending Christmas cards spreads good tidings and cheer during the holiday season. It can also be sustainable and help the environment, if you can:
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Avoid buying Christmas cards with glitter, sequins, glue or plastic decorations: it's because these aren't recyclable. If you want to recycle these Christmas cards, make sure to remove the extras before putting them out
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Consider sending e-Christmas cards: the UK charity Shelter offers a range of colourfully designed eCards, which allow you to add your personal messages. You can even schedule when you'd like your eCards to be sent
 Make your own Christmas crackers
Christmas crackers are loved by everyone. However, many contain glitter and plastic, making them difficult to recycle.
Fortunately, there are many recyclable Christmas crackers and DIY cracker kits available. For example, the crackers sold on the Royal Society for The Protection of Birds (RSPB) website are full recyclable. They are plastic, foil and glitter free, and so is their packaging.
You can also get crafty and make your own crackers using toilet roll or cardboard tubes, used ribbons and wrapping paper. The step-by-step guide on the English Heritage website shows you how.
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