Mayor of London calls on city to recycle over Christmas
Mayor of London Boris Johnson has called on the city’s residents to help boost recycling levels over the festive season – and save the capital around £4 million in waste disposal costs.
Over the Christmas season, London is expected to generate an estimated extra 30,000 tonnes of household waste – including 6,000 tonnes of food waste.
Londoners are expected to devour around 1.5 million turkeys, use an estimated 2,000 tonnes of glass bottles and jars, and enough wrapping paper to cover the circumference of the equator.
To bolster his message, the Mayor is offering support to London’s small and medium-sized food businesses via the FoodSave programme, set up to help create financial savings on food waste.
And, the Greater London Authority is also due to chip the iconic Trafalgar Square Christmas tree for recycling on January 5, with the chippings to be used as fertiliser.
Mr Johnson said: “If each one of us does our bit to recycle more over this festive season, we can help local authorities avoid hefty landfill charges and save money from the public purse. Every borough offers a range of recycling services, including for the capital’s forest of Christmas trees.”
ZWS: reuse electrical items this Christmas
Householders receiving the latest gadgets for Christmas should remember to recycle or reuse their old electrical and electronic items, Zero Waste Scotland has urged.
The resource efficiency body is calling on people to sell, donate or reuse popular electrical items such as phones, tablets, kitchen equipment, stereos or radios.
It also gives tips on reusing items, such as advertising them on websites such as eBay or Gumtree, taking advantage of retailer take-back offers, and carrying out ‘simple maintenance’ to prevent problems with equipment.
Revolve-accredited businesses in Scotland – which meet the reuse quality standard – are also encouraged to prompt people to donate or repair their old gadgets and gizmos this festive season.
Iain Gulland, chief executive, Zero Waste Scotland, said: “With Christmas around the corner, many people will be buying electrical goods for friends and family, or wondering what to do with gadgets they already have, which they no longer want or aren’t working.
“If after Christmas, the turkey is getting cold and you find you have electrical items you don’t want any more, don’t forget to reuse or recycle them.”
Christmas Coca-Cola truck supports recycling initiative
Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) has hit the road with metal recycling scheme Every Can Counts this Christmas to deliver a festive recycling message.
Volunteers are engaging members of the public about recycling while they queue for free samples of Coca-Cola products at the Christmas truck tour stops.
Visitors are asked to answer fun quiz questions brimming with recycling facts, in exchange for a free gift including fridge magnets, transferrable tattoos or a recycling wheel to help them steer clear of confusion.
Rick Hindley, executive director at Every Can Counts, said: “The Coca-Cola Christmas truck tour is an iconic event that attracts huge numbers of people and we’re pleased to be working with them to help spread the message of the importance of recycling drinks cans on-the-go.
“Drinks cans are endlessly recyclable. After they’ve been collected they can be recycled into new cans in just 60 days.”
Wales issues food waste recycling message
The Welsh Government is reminding people to plan their meals and shopping trips in advance in order to reduce food waste this Christmas.
The average family in Wales throws away an estimated £60 of food every month, while a large quantity of unavoidable food waste still ends up in landfill.
In an attempt to curb the amount thrown away this Christmas, minister for natural resources Carl Sargeant has urged householders to take advantage of food waste recycling collections, and to check the Love Food Hate Waste website for ideas on how to use up leftovers.
Mr Sargeant said: “We are sending less to landfill than ever and food recycling allows us to put unavoidable food waste like potato peelings to good use and to and avoid the harmful effects of sending it to landfill.
“Welsh householders have recycled more than ever in 2014, which is a great achievement. If we are going to continue to move towards being a high recycling nation, I want to encourage everyone to recycle more than ever in 2015.”
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