Recycling Week - JUST Four
Recycling rates need to be improved in the borough and residents are being reminded how they can contribute this Recycling Week.
There is a clear guide for residents focusing on JUST Four categories of items that can be recycled.
In addition, new stickers will be appearing on the lids of all bins with pictures of what we can accept for recycling, to prompt people to think about their waste before they put it in a bin.
The aim of national Recycling Week (until 29 September) is to improve the percentage of recycling which is currently going into legitimate streams of recycling in the UK and help reach targets set by the government. Slough currently recycles 23.3 per cent of waste collected.
On average a third of the 30 lorry loads of recycling collected each week in the borough are being rejected because of the wrong items in the red bin like dirty nappies, textiles, food waste, greasy pizza boxes and anything plastic, which is not bottle shaped, from buckets, fruit and meat trays to children’s toys.
The rejected loads cost the council around £82,000 per annum in additional costs as contaminated rejected recycling has to be disposed of as general household waste.
Therefore the council is encouraging each resident to do a small bit which collectively can make a huge difference to the coffers and the planet.
The council is accepting JUST Four categories of items in the red recycling bin.
They are cans, paper and cardboard, plastic in a bottle shape and glass jars and bottles used for food and drinks.
Cllr Rob Anderson, cabinet member for transport and environmental services, said the stickers were set to be in pictures to make it instantly understandable about what goes in each bin.
He added there are a large number of people who are enthusiastic about recycling, however, the council is only able to accept the JUST Four items which the council’s waste processor is currently able to genuinely recycle.
He said: “We would love residents to get on board and make very small changes in their household which can make huge changes in the world outside their home. This change is both financial and environmental.
“Our aim, and resident’s aims, should be to improve their recycling habit which will push recycling percentage rates up.
“There are hundreds of products out there which have a recyclable symbol on them but unfortunately we cannot recycle all of them
“Our waste partner is looking at what other recycling streams can be included in the scheme in the future but at the moment it is JUST Four.”
JUST Four – what we can accept – all rinsed out and clean. NO lids
CANS – food and drink cans
PAPERS and CARDBOARD – junkmail, clean cardboard
GLASS – jars and bottles used for food and drink of any colour – no pyrex, lightbulbs
PLASTIC – resembling a bottle, fizzy drink, sauce, washing liquid, shower gels, shampoo
There are a lot of things we cannot accept in the red bin. They are;
Garden waste (please call for a green bin provided at no extra cost)
Textiles
Food waste
Dirty nappies
Electrical items
Hard plastics
Any takeaway containers because of the food grease
Plastic wrappers – crisp, biscuit, food containers
Plastic meat/ fruit trays
Plastic pots – yoghurts, dip
Metal
Coffee cups
Any lids
Some of the items which cannot go into the red bin can be recycled if taken to the Household Waste and Recycling Centre in Chalvey. Please refer to https://www.slough.gov.uk/bins-and-recycling for more information.
There is a clear guide for residents focusing on JUST Four categories of items that can be recycled.
In addition, new stickers will be appearing on the lids of all bins with pictures of what we can accept for recycling, to prompt people to think about their waste before they put it in a bin.
The aim of national Recycling Week (until 29 September) is to improve the percentage of recycling which is currently going into legitimate streams of recycling in the UK and help reach targets set by the government. Slough currently recycles 23.3 per cent of waste collected.
On average a third of the 30 lorry loads of recycling collected each week in the borough are being rejected because of the wrong items in the red bin like dirty nappies, textiles, food waste, greasy pizza boxes and anything plastic, which is not bottle shaped, from buckets, fruit and meat trays to children’s toys.
The rejected loads cost the council around £82,000 per annum in additional costs as contaminated rejected recycling has to be disposed of as general household waste.
Therefore the council is encouraging each resident to do a small bit which collectively can make a huge difference to the coffers and the planet.
The council is accepting JUST Four categories of items in the red recycling bin.
They are cans, paper and cardboard, plastic in a bottle shape and glass jars and bottles used for food and drinks.
Cllr Rob Anderson, cabinet member for transport and environmental services, said the stickers were set to be in pictures to make it instantly understandable about what goes in each bin.
He added there are a large number of people who are enthusiastic about recycling, however, the council is only able to accept the JUST Four items which the council’s waste processor is currently able to genuinely recycle.
He said: “We would love residents to get on board and make very small changes in their household which can make huge changes in the world outside their home. This change is both financial and environmental.
“Our aim, and resident’s aims, should be to improve their recycling habit which will push recycling percentage rates up.
“There are hundreds of products out there which have a recyclable symbol on them but unfortunately we cannot recycle all of them
“Our waste partner is looking at what other recycling streams can be included in the scheme in the future but at the moment it is JUST Four.”
JUST Four – what we can accept – all rinsed out and clean. NO lids
CANS – food and drink cans
PAPERS and CARDBOARD – junkmail, clean cardboard
GLASS – jars and bottles used for food and drink of any colour – no pyrex, lightbulbs
PLASTIC – resembling a bottle, fizzy drink, sauce, washing liquid, shower gels, shampoo
There are a lot of things we cannot accept in the red bin. They are;
Garden waste (please call for a green bin provided at no extra cost)
Textiles
Food waste
Dirty nappies
Electrical items
Hard plastics
Any takeaway containers because of the food grease
Plastic wrappers – crisp, biscuit, food containers
Plastic meat/ fruit trays
Plastic pots – yoghurts, dip
Metal
Coffee cups
Any lids
Some of the items which cannot go into the red bin can be recycled if taken to the Household Waste and Recycling Centre in Chalvey. Please refer to https://www.slough.gov.uk/bins-and-recycling for more information.
