Residents reminded to put the correct items in their recycling bins

Wiltshire Council is reminding people to check what can and can’t be recycled at home, as waste collection crews will be stepping up checks of blue-lidded bins.

The move is part of the council’s new ‘recycling – let’s sort it!’ awareness campaign to provide people with more information about what can and can’t be recycled using its kerbside collection services.

On their rounds, waste collection crews will attach an amber hanger to any recycling bins that are seen to have the wrong items in them. The hanger will advise people what these wrong items were, but that it was still emptied on that collection.

Crews will also use a red hanger to identify heavily contaminated bins that will explain what the resident has incorrectly recycled. In these cases, the bin will not be emptied, and residents will need to remove the wrong items ahead of their next scheduled collection.

Cllr Nick Holder, cabinet member for waste, said, “We all need to do our bit to recycle more in Wiltshire, and the easiest way to do that is at home, using our kerbside recycling service.

“However, it’s important people put the right things into their blue-lidded recycling bins, or it may not be recycled, and these hangers will help to inform people if they’re making mistakes. Many people think they are doing the right thing, but unfortunately, we cannot collect all items for recycling in blue-lidded bins.

“We find all sorts of things in blue-lidded bins that shouldn’t be in there – including dirty nappies, knives, tools, and hard plastics such as toys and coat hangers. But perhaps the most common wrong item that people put into their blue-lidded bin is plastic bags – this includes carrier bags, bin bags and plastic film such as fruit bags or the film on top of meat or ready meal trays.

“People can take all these items to their nearest household recycling centre, while plastic bags and film can go in the general waste bin; we convert this waste into energy. Alternatively, many supermarkets have collection points for carrier bags and plastic films. Please check before you chuck so we can all increase recycling in Wiltshire and help to protect the environment.”

One of the council’s business plan missions is to take responsibility for the environment, and an increase in the county-wide recycling rate will help to achieve this.

To find out what can be recycled in the blue-lidded kerbside recycling bins, please people go to: www.wiltshire.gov.uk/recycling; or to find the nearest supermarket that collects plastic, people can go to www.recyclenow.com/recycling-locator

Pictured: The new bin hangers.