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Carry On Recycling

18 June 2020

Carry On Recycling

To keep our essential waste services going, it’s important that we all keep recycling and sorting. Here’s our Top 5 list of commonly missed items:

 

1. Aerosol Cans

As long as they’re completely empty, it’s ok to recycle aerosol cans – just take off the lid and put it and the can straight into your recycling. Don’t try to crush, pierce or flatten them.

Aerosol cans are made with either tinplated steel or aluminium which can both be recycled – as can any plastic or rubber inside them.

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2. Aluminium Foil

This can be recycled as long as it is cleaned of any loose food. You can squeeze small amounts into a larger ball for recycling. 

Don’t forget you can also find aluminium foil on some biscuit wrappers and pot lids – but do the ‘scrunch test’ first to make sure it’s made from aluminium. Scrunch the item in your hand. If it stays scrunched it’s aluminium foil and can be recycled. If it springs back open it’s metallised plastic film which can’t.

Squeeze all your aluminium foil into one large ball to make it even easier to recycle.

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3. Takeaway Pizza Boxes

People often put takeaway pizza boxes into their recycling bin / box, but unfortunately they can’t be recycled due to food residues and grease. The good news, however, is that you can tear them up and put them into your food / garden bin to be turned into compost.

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4. Plain Envelopes

Despite being made primarily from paper, plain envelopes are often overlooked.

Plastic and padded envelopes, and those with plastic windows, should still go into the black bin / box, but plain envelopes can be recycled – so feel free to start posting them in your recycling!

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5. Waxed Food & Drink Cartons

Waxed cartons are made from a mixture of paper, plastic and – for long-life products – aluminium foil. All of these can be recycled.

Squash them flat if possible and leave their plastic tops on. Don’t forget to remove the straws from drink cartons first and put these in your waste bin.      

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For further information please visit your local council website as below:

www.antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk

www.ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk

www.belfastcity.gov.uk

www.lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk

www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk

www.newrymournedown.org