More of district households are getting it right - NKDC rejects less than 10% of recycling bins

More than 380 tonnes of recycled glass, plastic and tins have been collected from green-lidded bins across North Kesteven thanks to residents taking extra effort to put only the right things in, says the district council.

Over 91 per cent of green-lid bins were emptied during the latest collections from Monday November 8 because of the high quality of correct recycled items - meaning about 4,509 bins were rejected out of about 53,000 homes.

Over 9,000 green-lidded bins were rejected in the previous collection in October - around 20 per cent of households. This figure has more than halved this time, meaning more items can be recycled than in previous collections. The first collection had seen one in three bins contaminated.

It also comes after 99 per cent of purple and purple-lidded bins were emptied because they contained all the right things, in only the second ever district-wide collections of purple and purple-lidded bins. Over 320 tonnes of paper and

cardboard were collected and initial sampling showed 98 per cent quality. The paper and cardboard collected in North Kesteven goes straight to a papermill in Kings Lynn and processed into the raw materials for new paper and card products.

Council Leader Coun Richard Wright said: “These results are something we can all be proud of. They show that while recycling can be difficult at times, with so many materials and types of packaging out there, residents in North Kesteven

clearly care about the environment and want to do the best they can to help it.

“Putting the correct things in each bin is one of the most direct things we can all do to act on climate change, as it ensures that good items in your recycling aren’t mixed with non-recyclable things which may contaminate and prevent them from being reused.

“Items which can’t be taken at kerbside such as soft plastics – that’s carrier bags, pet food pouches, crisp packets or essentially anything you can scrunch – continue to cause some confusion and we’ll keep sharing as much information as

possible to help. I’d like to thank every single person in North Kesteven who is trying their hardest to put the right things in the right bin.”

Recycling bins with wrong things in unfortunately cannot be emptied. The waste team is continuing to offer officer visits to those who have had a bin rejected and would find it helpful to talk through their recycling, including those who may be more vulnerable and could benefit from other support available.

Waste from the black bin goes on to be made into electricity at the Energy from Waste plant in North Hykeham, so residents can be assured it is better that non-recyclable items go in the black bin (if they cannot be reused, donated or taken to collection points) rather than contaminating otherwise good items of recycling.

Very little waste in Lincolnshire goes to landfill.

The Council’s Right Thing Right Bin leaflet contains information on what can and cannot go in all of your household bins. There is also a wealth of information on recycling at n-kesteven.gov.uk/recycling including a new webpage dedicated to green-lidded bin queries for residents to use anytime.

You can sign-up for a regular newsletter and updates at www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/stayconnected

Here are five things found in green-lidded bins which cannot go in:

Soft plastics

These are carrier bags, food wrappers, bread bags, film lids, crisp packets, pet food pouches - essentially any plastic that can scrunch in your hand.

These cannot be recycled at kerbside in Lincolnshire as the facilities do not exist to do this. Instead take to soft plastic collection points in your local shops, which do have the facilities to bulk these up and deal with them through their own processes, or search for any local TerraCycle schemes.

If that is not possible, place them in your black bin only to be made into electricity.

Hard plastics

Plant pots, plastic toys, plastic homeware boxes and crates – things like these should be reused or donated where possible.

If not they can be taken to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre or put in the black bin (with any batteries removed).

Textiles

Clothes, pet beds, duvet covers – if good enough quality these all can be donated, reused or taken to textile recycling points at Household Waste Recycling Centres, or if not possible can go in the black bin.

Takeaway packaging

Unless clear or light plastic tubs and trays, which can go rinsed and clean into your green-lidded bin, all takeaway packaging including cardboard must go in the black bin only.

Books

These can be donated, reused or passed on to others if in good condition. If they cannot be reused or re-purposed then they must go in the black bin only.