Residents invited to drop off quality unwanted items at county tips for reuse
Unwanted household items can now be dropped off at household waste sites at Melton Mowbray and Bottesford to be reused by someone else.
Leicestershire County Council has set up ReHome Zones at each of its 13 tips with the aim of reducing waste and putting to use good quality good which would otherwise have been thrown away.
A wide range of items can be taken to the zones, including household and garden furniture, home office equipment, bicycles and scooters, as well as handheld and petrol-powered DIY and gardening tools such as lawnmowers. Electrical and electronic items are not accepted for this scheme.
Residents visiting a recycling and household waste site, including Lake Terrace in Melton and Bottesford’s tip on Normanton Lane, can place suitable items in the designated ReHome Zone area, where they will be collected by the council's reuse partner and sold on for reuse by other people.
Residents are reminded that items in these areas are not available for public collection, and cannot be removed from the site.
To be accepted, items must be clean, in good working order and require no more than light cleaning.
Soft furnishings must have a compliant fire safety label attached. Some minor cosmetic wear may be acceptable, but items should not be damaged, modified or affected by significant scratches, chips, cracks or broken parts.
Councillor Adam Tilbury, County Hall's cabinet member for environment and waste, said: “It's fantastic that ReHome Zones are now available at all 13 of our recycling and household waste sites, making it even easier for residents to give unwanted items a new lease of life.
“Every item that is reused is one fewer item that needs to be disposed of, helping us reduce waste and make better use of valuable resources.
"Whether it's furniture, tools, office equipment or a child's scooter, many items still have plenty of life left in them and could be invaluable to someone else.
“I'd encourage residents to think about reuse before disposal and make use of the ReHome Zones whenever they visit one of our sites.”
Visit www.leicestershire.gov.uk/environment-and-planning/waste-and-recycling/how-do-i-dispose-of#R for more information about accepted items and to find the nearest ReHome Zone.
Melton’s Lake Terrace tip is set to be temporarily closed this winter for essential improvement works but a date has yet to be announced for it.