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Recycling
Medway Council is making changes to your recycling service so
that you can recycle more
Blue and white reusable bags
From Monday, 8 November new
reusable recycling bags were delivered to every household meaning
even more can be taken out of your rubbish
bags.
Kerbside recycling is really easy and by keeping paper and
cardboard separate, means we will be able collect household plastic
packing, including margarine tubs and yoghurt pots.
Once you receive your blue and white reusable bags, please split
your recycling as explained here but until then, please continue to
recycle as you do now
Every household will receive:
- one blue reusable bag for paper and cardboard;
- one white reusable bag for all other household containers that
can be recycled - this includes:
- clean metal foil,
- metal food and drink cans,
- glass bottles and jars,
- household plastic packaging.
Each household will also receive a pack of 13 clear plastic
bags every 13 weeks to provide additional capacity for your
mixed recycling. Please do not use the clear plastic bags for paper
and card. If you still have a blue box, please use this for excess
paper and card.
Please put your recycling bags out by 7am on
your recycling collection day and no earlier than the night
before. The bags are weighted to stop them blowing away and are
reusable so they will be returned to where you left them by the
recycling crew for you to use again and again.
Why is this happening?
By separating paper and cardboard, the quality of material is
improved, meaning it can be recycled into a much wider range of
products. This reduces the amount of waste sent to landfill. It
also helps to cut down gases that are harmful to the
environment.
What should I do with my old blue plastic recycling bags?
Once you have had your blue and white reusable bags delivered,
you can use any blue sacks that you have left over from previous
deliveries for recycling mixed containers.
Does all the recycling go into the back of the same
vehicle?
Yes, however, the collection vehicles are designed with a "split
body", to keep the materials separate.
I live in a block of flats, can I recycle more too?
Yes. Your recycling will be changing. Please continue to recycle
using your existing containers. Over the next six months, new
containers and further information will be delivered to each block
of flats. Please bear with us while we make these changes. If your
flats don't have large recycling containers in your bin store area,
contact us using the contact details below for further information
on how you can recycle.
I recycle a lot, can I get extra reusable bags or clear
sacks?
If you need more blue or white reusable bags or clear plastic
bags, these will be available from December 2010 at council
contact points and libraries.
The
maximum allocation per household will be:
- two blue reusable, two white
reusable and one pack of clear bags; plus
- one blue
reusable, one white reusable and one pack of clear bags that can be
collected on behalf of a neighbour, relative or friend.
This allocation will help us keep the
outlets stocked up and ensure everybody can collect extras if
required.
What happens to non-recyclable plastics in Medway?
Globally, the plastics market is still developing. Working with
our waste contractor Veolia and other locally-based industries, new
outlets for a wider range of plastics are developing but some
plastics will go for energy recovery until these markets are
developed.
Can I use carrier bags or boxes for additional materials?
Yes, to put either mixed containers, that is metal
food and drink cans, glass and plastic bottles and household
plastic packaging, or paper and cardboard. Please
do not use the blue or clear council provided
plastic bags for paper and cardboard.
I have had my bag or box lost or stolen, what should I do?
Use the contact details below to ask for a replacement bag.
You can mark your house number on your reusable bags to help
identify which ones are yours.
Can I recycle batteries?
Not in your blue or white reusable bags. However, Medway Council
now provides recycling facilities for batteries at all its libraries and at its three household waste recycling sites.
Can I recycle Tetra-paks and cartons?
Not in your blue or white reusable bags, although there are five
recycling points across Medway that allow
you to recycle them.
Can I recycle polystyrene?
No, the market for this material is not strong enough, so we are
unable to collect it.
Find out how you can recycle more
While recycling is obviously very important, reducing the amount
of waste we produce in the first place is just as important. By
making informed choices about what we buy and use, we can all make
decisions that help reduce the amount we have to throw away.
Recycling old printer cartridges
Go to the IMPACT Inkjet and Toner Recycler website (www.impactrecycling.co.uk/)
and download a FREE-post label or send your old printer cartridges
to:
Free Post RRAE-YJCY-RRBX
Impact Toners
17 Kingsnorth Industrial Estate
Hoo
Rochester ME3 9ND
Your contribution will help the Kent Air Ambulance Trust.
Please note that if your waste and/or recycling are
missed from a collection round, you must notify the council within
24 hours.
Download the latest issue of recycling in Medway (pdf
5,297KB).
To use this file you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do
not have this on your computer please use our advice page.
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