| Q |
If I have excess recyclable material what should I do with it? |
| A |
Cans, Glass Bottles and Plastic Bottles. Please put these items in either a plastic bag or a box by the side of the recycling box and we will empty them on your collection day.
Paper and Cardboard. If you have excess paper and cardboard please bundle this up and place by the side of your bin on your collection day. Please do not put this material in a plastic bag.
Remember there are also recycling facilities at some supermarkets, pubs and all household waste recycling centres.
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| Q |
Is it compulsory to put items that can be recycled into the recycling bins? |
| A |
It is up to you how much you use your recycling bins. However, it is important to remember that household waste will only be emptied fortnightly and using the recycling bins is a good way of making more room in your household waste bin.
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| Q |
Why does the Council not accept certain materials that are recycled by other local authorities? |
| A |
All the material we collect for recycling has to be sent to a local facility for sorting, bulking and reprocessing. We cannot collect materials where there is no local facility available for us to take them to.
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| Q |
Why can’t I put shredded paper in the paper bin? |
| A |
Recycling shredded paper is a problem not just here in Wakefield but nationally. The majority of paper merchants won’t take shredded paper, including the one we work with.
The merchant did take it at one time but found he had to remove shredded cardboard, plastic window envelopes and pet bedding, which contaminate the clean paper. It is very difficult to remove contaminates from this type of material. Apparently it also has a habit of 'clogging' up the conveyor belts at the sorting mill, getting underneath them and drying out the greased machinery resulting in breakdowns.
The paper repulping mills do not like to mix it with unshredded material such as newspapers. The shredded paper fibres are very short and less suitable for their general recycling processes.
The good news is that we are always monitoring new developments in waste treatment technology and processes, and we often test the market to see if the opportunity has arisen to collect and recycle more materials. If in the future we are able to collect and recycle shredded paper mixed with cardboard and newspapers then we will.
If you have a garden and own a composter then shredded paper is an excellent aerator and will improve your final compost. The Council is currently selling subsidised composters from £5. Please call 0845 8 506 506 for further details.
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| Q |
What about the danger of putting non-shredded personal documents in my paper bin? |
| A |
We understand there may be concerns about identity theft that could prevent people from using their paper bins to dispose of their private documents. As a result, we recommend that you tear out the section containing personal data before you place the document in your refuse bin, or for a more environmentally friendly option you can place the paper in a composter. Shredded paper helps to add oxygen and dry matter to your compost mix and once degraded removes any confidential information completely whilst producing a useful garden fertiliser.
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| Q |
Why are we putting plastics, cans and glass in a box rather than in another bin? |
| A |
The Council has chosen, as an interim measure, to introduce recycling boxes. If householders were given a bin for glass and plastics the majority of properties would have to accommodate four separate bins and this is not practically possible for many citizens.
Also, we are currently planning to build a new recycling facility that would allow all dry recycling materials to go in one bin (this would be the current paper bin.) A new box costs a fraction of what a new bin does so a temporary fourth bin would represent very bad value for money for taxpayers. The cost for these bins alone would exceed two million pounds.
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| Q |
Can I leave the lids and wrapping on my plastic bottles? |
| A |
Yes. You can leave any lids (including foil ones) and wrappers on your bottles. In fact, keeping the lid on the bottle can be useful in keeping it compact once it has been squeezed, creating more room in your box.
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| Q |
Are there only certain grades of plastic that can go in my box? |
| A |
Yes. Before you put any plastics into your box check for a green triangle somewhere on the packaging. It should have a number inside it; only numbers 1, 2 and 3 are recyclable at the moment. This is why certain plastics like yoghurt pots cannot go in the box.
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| Q |
I already had a box to recycle paper so what will happen to it now? |
| A |
You will still use your box for recycling and you will still recycle your paper but in a different way. When the new scheme starts you will use your brown bin, which will be labelled ‘recycling bin’ as your paper bin. From the same date your box will become your mixed recycling box that takes plastic, cans and bottles. (Full details of what can go in each box are to be found in the leaflet.)
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