Simplified list released to help Melton residents recycle properly

This follows last month’s announcement that, from October 1, recycling loads containing contaminants, or non-recyclable items, will not be collected across the borough until the contaminants have been removed by the householder.

District councils across Leicestershire have now joined forces in a campaign to make recycling easier so the majority of county residents are now able to recycle exactly the same materials wherever they live.

Until recently, when recycling bins were emptied by crews in each council area, the contents were taken to several different recycling sites for sorting and each site had different rules and processes and the list of recyclable materials differed between council areas.

Now recycling collections from most districts - Blaby, Charnwood, Harborough, Hinckley & Bosworth, Melton and Oadby & Wigston - are taken to a single materials recycling facility in Leicester.

A complete list of items that can be recycled is available at www.lesswaste.org.uk/items-accepted-for-recycling-at-casepak/ to avoid confusion.

Councillor John Illingworth, Melton Council’s portfolio holder for environment and regulatory services, said: “It’s important that we all do our bit for the environment and recycle, but it’s also important that we use our recycling schemes correctly.

“If the wrong items go in the wrong bins then recyclable material can get contaminated which means it then has to go to landfill or be incinerated.

“Levels of contamination in Melton are much higher than they should be and we hope to change this dramatically by providing lots of information online and through social media about what should go where.

“We know Melton people are highly conscious about protecting their environment and we all have to work together to not let our recycling go to waste.”

Beverley Jolly, joint chief executive of Harborough District Council and Leicestershire districts’ lead on waste said: “It’s been a source of some frustration to Leicestershire residents for some time that items that can be recycled by some councils cannot be recycled by others.

“It’s also an issue that WRAP, the national waste and resources action programme, is keen to tackle as their research says that inconsistency leads to confusion and puts people off recycling so we were keen to work together to produce a single list for recycling that applies countywide.

“We really hope this will make recycling easier than ever for Leicestershire residents, leading to more recycling and less waste going to landfill.”

Melton Council is currently promoting its message to residents to recycle the correct items with residents due to receive bin hangers and bin stickers letting them know what cannot be recycled and when the changes will take effect.

More information is avaailable online at www.melton.gov.uk/whatgoesinmybins on which materials should be placed in bins by borough residents.