Recycle more for Bury – let’s get to 50% or more!

Only use your grey bin for rubbish you cannot recycle and help us keep your waste out of landfill.

That’s the message from Bury Council, one year after introducing borough-wide improvements to kerbside recycling services which have helped save local tax payers more than £1 million. 

The council is appealing for everyone’s help in getting Bury’s recycling rate up to 50% - or more – which will save at least another £800,000. 

Councillor Gill Campbell, cabinet member for neighbourhoods and regeneration, said: “Bury residents have been doing really well at increasing the amount they recycle. Already our recycling rate has moved-up from 28%, one of the lowest rates in Greater Manchester a year ago, to nearly 46%, the third best rate. 

“The target we are aiming for is 50% or more by April 2013. While it may seem we don’t have very much more to do, this extra 4% or so - which will save at least £800,000 - will be a lot harder to achieve than the large increase we have already seen. We know it can be done, though: inStockport, for instance, they’re recycling nearly 65%. 

“I’d like to thank everyone for their fantastic efforts so far but also appeal to each and every household to really pull out all the stops to recycle that bit more and help us reach this challenging, but achievable, target. 

“If we all do our utmost we can make recycling in Bury an even bigger success, shave significant sums of money off our landfill tax bills and help protect the environment now and in the future. 

“Please do make recycling a part of your daily life, keep as much of your waste out of landfill as you can and only use your grey bin for waste you can’t recycle. Every household and every item really does count!”

Among the many households in the borough who are doing their best to recycle is the Bridge family, who live offAinsworth Road, Bury.

Mrs Pamela Bridge said: “At our house, recycling is now very much a part of our daily routine and we can easily recycle at least half of our waste at the kerbside. We always use all three of our recycling bins and keep what we have to put in our grey bin to an absolute minimum. 

“We also like to take responsibility for our waste so that we can feel we are doing our bit for the environment and cutting back on unnecessary costs. In a nutshell, we don’t like to see waste going to waste, unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

Residents across the borough can recycle the following in their recycling bins: 

*        Brown bin – cooked food waste, uncooked food waste and garden waste.

*        Green bin – mixed paper and cardboard (including cardboard drink cartons).

*        Blue bin – plastic bottles, glass bottles, glass jars, food tins, drink cans, aerosols and foil.

None of these items should end up in a rubbish bin and extra household waste can be taken to any household waste recycling centre in Greater Manchester. Local centres are at Fernhill in Bury and Cemetery Roadin Radcliffe. For details of all centres, visit www.recycleforgreatermanchester.com  

Residents wanting to request a new or replacement recycling bin can do so online at www.bury.gov.uk/requestabin or by phone to 0161 253 5353. For more information about recycling for Bury, see www.bury.gov.uk/recycling or call 0161 253 5555.

ENDS

Press release issued: 23 November 2012.

Picture attached: Councillor Gill Campbell (back left) meetsMrsPamelaBridge and her sons Scott (left) and Matthew.

 Note to editors:

• Since October 2011 overall recycling tonnage has increased by around 8,500 tonnes. 
• Recycling in the green bin (paper and cardboard) has increased by 3,143 tonnes. 
• Recycling in the brown bin has increased by 4,127 tonnes since the introduction of food waste recycling with garden waste. 
• Recycling in the blue bin (mixed recycling – glass bottles and jars, plastic bottles, food tins and drink cans, empty aerosol cans, aluminium foil) has increased by 1,170 tonnes.
• Waste collected from grey household rubbish bins has reduced by more than 13,000 tonnes.  
• The council receives £25 per tonne from the paper and cardboard that residents put in their green bin.
• The council receives £25 per tonne from the recyclables that residents put in their blue bin.
• What the council receives for recycling helps to offset the cost of providing the waste collection service.
• The council pays only £55 per tonne to turn the brown bin contents into compost - but it costs £210 per tonne to send what residents put in their grey bin to landfill.