In October to December 2020, 2,900 tonnes of recyclable material was sent to the Casepak Material Recycling Facility for processing from Erewash households - this included 340 tonnes of plastic, a high proportion of waste for such a light material.
A single use plastic is one that you use just once and then dispose of, for example, plastic drinks bottles, coffee cup lids, plastic forks and take-out containers, face masks and plastic bags. There are a number of ways to reduce single-use plastics:
- Buy a re-usable stainless steel or glass bottle - steel and glass are infinitely recyclable.
- Make a packed lunch instead of buying food in plastic packaging.
- Buy a bag for life and have it with you at all times.
- Use a reusable face mask that you can wash and wear again instead of a single use one which are mostly made from plastic.
- There are refill stations across the country where you can fill your bottle with water for free. Head to refill.org.uk
“People in Erewash should keep up the good work when it comes to recycling. We would like to encourage people to help the environment further by thinking about ways to reduce their use of these types of plastics. Whether it’s buying a reusable cup to take to the coffee shop or checking what packaging your lunch comes in, everyone can do their bit.”
Residents of Erewash can recycle paper, cardboard, tins and cans, plastic and glass in their blue bins and green bags. Items should be clean, dry, empty and loose. If in doubt - leave it out. Blue bins can be purchased by calling our customer services team on 0115 907 2244.
Certain types of plastics, such as children’s toys, cannot be recycled. See our A to Z of recycling.
Recycle Week takes place from 20 to 26 September. Find out more at wrap.org.uk