Dreaming of a Green Christmas in Charnwood

RESIDENTS are being encouraged to make this Christmas the greenest ever by recycling as much festive waste as possible.

The volume of waste surges by up to 30% over the Christmas period with more than 3,000 tonnes of waste recycled and around 5,000 tonnes sent to landfill during December and January each year.

Now, Charnwood Borough Council is urging householders to use their new green recycling bins, battery recycling bags and white MIND clothes sacks to reduce the amount of rubbish sent to landfill.

Councillor Hilary Fryer, Charnwood Borough Council’s Cabinet member for Cleansing and Open Spaces, said: “Our new green recycling bins have made it easier than ever before for us to recycle our waste this Christmas.

“We want everyone to help make this the greenest-ever Christmas in Charnwood by also making use of the battery collection bags and the collection of real Christmas trees for garden waste customers.”

The green recycling bins, which were rolled out during September and October, can be used for glass bottles and jars, plastics, food and drink cans, aluminium foil, empty aerosols, paper and cardboard and waxed-paper food and drink cartons - commonly known as Tetra Pak.

Residents are also reminded that they can recycle household batteries in their battery collection bag, in addition to clothes, textiles and bric-a-brac in their white Mind sack.

In January, subscribers to the brown garden waste bin can also leave their real Christmas trees at the side of their brown bin on collection day.  The trees will be taken away and composted.

There will be no change to residents’ kerbside collection dates over the Christmas period, although collections will start a little earlier over Christmas, meaning that bins should be presented by 6.30am. 

The only change is for garden waste bin customers. The garden waste collection service will be suspended from week commencing December 26 for two weeks. The service will resume week commencing January 9, 2012.

For further details call Charnwood Borough Council on 01509 634563, or email cleaner.greener@charnwood.gov.uk, or visit our website at www.charnwood.gov.uk.