Member Article

Success for pilot recycling scheme

A six month trial recycling scheme introduced by Alnwick District Council has just passed its halfway mark, with 8 out of 10 residents in the pilot areas taking part. Over 24 tonnes of glass has been collected with the aim of making glass recycling more convenient for residents and reducing the amount of glass going to landfill.

The kerbside recycling scheme was introduced following an analysis of district wheelie bins last year which concluded that almost 1,000 tonnes of glass was still being sent for landfill each year. Glass cannot be placed in household recycling bins due to a high risk of glass shards contaminating other recyclable material such as paper, as well as health and safety risks at the sorting station.

Terry Harkins, Alnwick District Council Recycling Officer, said: “The production of glass impacts heavily on the environment so it is up to us all to make that extra effort to recycle. It is made from sand, limestone, and soda ash – all natural resources which have to be quarried and cannot be replaced. When it goes into landfill it takes thousands of years to degrade, and yet it is one resource that can be recycled again, and again, and again, without any loss of quality.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .