What Really Happens to Your Recycling
After speaking to 1000 residents in Liverpool, 82% told us that they wanted to recycle better and we want to work with you to make this happen.
Recycling is a vital part of protecting our environment, reducing the amount of waste that gets sent to be incinerated and helping materials get reused over and over again. We want to be open and honest about what happens to your recycling and why it’s important to throw the right items into your blue bin. This article clears up some of the most common misunderstandings when it comes to waste.
Here are some of the most common Myths and the Truth about them:
It all goes to landfill
Waste across the Liverpool City Region is incinerated to create energy. It is not sent to landfill.
Waste gets sent overseas
Household waste is sent to be incinerated in Teeside, while recycling is sent to two Materials Recovery Facilities in Bidston and Gillmoss. The majority of recyclable materials remain in the UK, although a small proportion are exported internationally in compliance with stringent market export requirements.
Recycling wagons crush cans and bottles, so we can
Our wagons don’t crush any recycling. Crushed bottles and cans can be mistaken as cardboard or paper by the machines sorting recyclable materials, so should remain uncrushed.
Rinsing recycling is a waste of water
Food waste can contaminate other materials, particularly paper and cardboard, meaning they can’t be broken down properly to be reused. To prevent this from happening, plastic bottles and glass jars should be rinsed before being thrown away. A quick rinse at the end of the dishes or putting items into the dishwasher when there’s space is enough.
Food waste recycling will attract pests
Food waste currently sits in the purple bin for up to two weeks. The new food waste recycling collection will take place every week. The caddies are designed to be pest-proof, with a lockable lid to stop animals getting inside.
Nothing gets recycled from public bins
Although you can put recyclable and non-recyclable items in public litter bins, they are separated once they’ve been collected.
You’re letting people get away with fly-tipping
When we clear instances of fly-tipping, we conduct an investigation to find out who has left it. If an offender is identified, the appropriate action will be taken.