The campaign, which is coordinated by Recycle Now, runs through to Sunday 18 September and is this year targeting items from around the home which WRAP claims are often forgotten by householders such as shampoo bottles.
While the ‘usual’ recyclables are familiar– plastic drinks bottles, food and drinks cans, jam jars, cardboard boxes and newspapers – WRAP research has highlighted that many people are throwing at least one thing their council collects at the kerbside.
To help people spot these ‘unusual’ recyclables, the WRAP campaign is engaging the public across its digital platforms. It highlights those hidden items, such as shampoo and cleaning bottles from the bathroom as well as tissue boxes from the living room.
Central to the week’s activities is ‘The Unusual Suspects’ film – Recycle Now’s take on the 1992 cult crime thriller, The Usual Suspects. The first instalment of the film is released today (12 September) with more episodes throughout the week.
Alice Harlock, Recycle Now spokesperson, said: “Our research tells us just 12% of people are doing all they can when it comes to recycling, so Recycle Week is a great opportunity to ask people to take a fresh look at their recycling habits and consider those lesser recognised items, so we can collect more of the right things.“
The Local Government Association (LGA), which represents more than 370 councils in England and Wales, also backed the campaign.
LGA environment spokesman, Cllr Martin Tett, said: “Councils are going the extra mile and doing everything they can to encourage recycling.
“Councils have increasingly had to do more with less in recent years while trying to protect services. The next few years will continue to be a challenge and more difficult decisions will still have to be made.”
Birmingham
Among the councils taking part in this year’s Recycle Week activities is Birmingham city council, which is encouraging residents to reduce, reuse and recycle waste through a new campaign called ‘Zero Heroes’.
The campaign shares the focus on the Unusual Suspects, with Birmingham focussing on items such as aerosol cans, and toilet roll tubes.
At six events across the city, free Residents’ Packs, detailing how to reduce waste and save money, will be handed out and there will also be an opportunity for residents to select their Zero Hero name to be in with the chance of winning shopping vouchers.
The pop-up events will feature a quiz based on the Unusual Suspects to test residents’ recycling knowledge.
East Sussex
The theme is also being used in East Sussex, where residents are being encouraged to become ‘household detectives’ and look out for items they may not routinely recycle.
Cllr Carl Maynard, county council lead member for transport and environment, said: “Residents in East Sussex do a fantastic job in recycling their rubbish, but we should always strive to do more.
“By turning sleuth and hunting out items in the household they might not normally consider recycling, people can help us to increase the amount we recycle even more.
“Every single item that is reused or recycled helps us to save money which can be used for other services, reduce the amount that goes to landfill and play our part in helping the environment.”
Cherwell
In Oxfordshire Cherwell council officers will be giving residents advice on what can and can’t be recycled, at three events held across the district.
Cllr Debbie Pickford, Cherwell’s lead member for clean and green, said: “By clearing up myths about what can and cannot go into recycling bins, we can make recycling easier for our residents and cut back on what goes to be incinerated.
“People are often uncertain about how clean things have to be for recycling and we will be offering guidelines on this too throughout recycling week.”
During the week, themed events will take place in Banbury, Bicester and Kidlington, focussing on batteries, glass and metal respectively.
Where certain materials, such as glass, cannot be recycled through the council’s domestic collections, officers will point residents to the best local facilities, such as bottle banks and charity shops.
West Lindsey
On the business front, West Lindsey district council in north east England is offering a free waste audit to local businesses aimed at increasing recycling in the workplace. Council officers will be available to visit businesses throughout the week.
Cllr Sheila Bibb, chairman of the council’s Prosperous Communities Committee, said: “We pledge that our service will always be reliable, cost effective and provide the environmental benefits that customers demand.
“I’m proud to say that we are one of the only commercial waste operators in the area that can enable your business to become virtually zero landfill.
“All of your recyclable material is sent to specialist treatment facilities and made into new products. All other general and non-recyclable waste is sent to a Lincolnshire Energy from Waste plant, which powers local homes.
“We’re sure that by joining our recycling service, your business can save money and do its bit for the environment at the same time.”
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