Newark and Sherwood District Council is challenging you this Recycle Week!

Running from 16^th to 22^nd October, this year’s campaign is focussing on missed capture: all the items in our homes that we commonly miss out of our recycling!

Some top tips to make the most of your waste and recycling are:

• Rinse any food residue off your items before recycling them e.g. yoghurt pots and plastic milk bottles
• Don’t put recyclable items in plastic bags.
• Try to keep your bathroom general waste separated from your recyclable bathroom waste so it is easier when you take the bins out.
• Squash your plastic bottles down and put the lids back on, this creates more room in your bin and it the whole thing can be recycled.
• Try your hand at composting – eggs shells, garden waste, vegetable peelings are all great for your garden soil!
• Soft plastics, such as crisp packets, fruit punnets and biscuit wrappers, can be recycled at many local supermarkets! Pop them all in a box throughout the week and then take them with you when you head out for the food shop.

One common material causing recycling confusion is plastic. Not all plastic is recyclable, and it is important to know which you can include in your recycling waste.

The plastic items you should recycle in your silver bin are:

• Plastic milk bottles
• Yoghurt pots
• Margarine tubs
• Plastic bottles (even better if they’re squished down and the lid is screwed on!)
• Plastic bottle lids (but not pump or trigger sprays)
• Shampoo and shower gel bottles
• Cleaning product bottles

Plastic items you cannot recycle in your silver bin are:

• Food trays
• Plant pots
• Cling film
• Soft film wrap (like the type that comes on top of a plastic food tray)
• Plastic bags
• Bubble wrap
• Hard/rigid plastic

Councillor Emma Oldham, Portfolio Holder for Biodiversity and Environmental Services at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: "Join me during National Recycling Week in a collective effort to bring a positive change to our recycling practices at both our workplaces and homes. Small adjustments, such as ensuring our yoghurt pots are properly washed before disposal or leaving plastic lids on bottles, can collectively make a substantial impact. While the demands of daily life can be overwhelming, it's crucial to recognise that even the smallest contributions matter greatly, especially considering the concerning statistics on plastic waste in the UK.

With our doorstep recycling services, we are dedicated to facilitating your recycling efforts. Let's adopt these simple yet impactful tips to improve our recycling habits for the betterment of our district and the local environment."

It is also important to know what can go in your brown bin if you are signed up to the District Council’s Garden Waste Recycling service. If you are getting some gardening in before the colder days set in, make sure to only use your brown bin to dispose of:

• grass cuttings
• hedge trimmings
• leaves
• small branches and twigs (up to 10cm in diameter)
• plants and weeds
• cut flowers
• Make sure plastic plant pots and plastic bags don't find their way into your Garden Waste Bin! Items like this will contaminate your waste.

Remember, if in doubt leave it out.

To find out more about Recycle Week visit www.recyclenow.org.uk/RecycleWeek and watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndp1rL3W6Co