Three Cambridgeshire councils are now accepting a wider ranger of plastics for recycling, including yoghurt pots, margarine tubs and food trays.
Starting this week (30 July), local residents of Cambridge City, Fenland and Huntingdonshire District Councils can recycle more plastic items in their blue bins, including rigid plastics such as plastic yoghurt pots and other plastic food containers as part of a push to help reduce the area’s carbon footprint and landfill costs.
Recycling company Viridor, which services the three authorities will be processing the containers at their recycling facility in Kent in order to produce plastic pellets which can be used to manufacture more plastic products. It is hoped that the new service will divert over 2,000 tonnes of plastic waste from landfill each year, and save the councils over £128,000 in annual landfill tax costs.
Jas Lally, Head of Refuse and Environment at Cambridge City Council, introduced the new service, saying: “We have been keen to expand our recycling service to include more plastics for some time, as have our residents. We’re very pleased that the markets for mixed plastics have grown and enabled us to make this enhancement, and hope that they continue to develop so that recycling rigid plastics becomes as commonplace as recycling cans or paper.”
Speaking on behalf of Viridor, regional manager Stuart Wood said: “As one of Britain’s leading recycling companies, we’re continually looking at expanding the range of materials we can recover for recycling. Cambridgeshire councils have been leading the way in providing effective recycling services to their residents and we’re proud to be able to support their efforts in continuing diverting valuable resources from landfill.”
Residents are urged to rinse out their old containers, that can include plastic pots, trays and bottles from around the house (such as shampoo bottles) in their blue bins and ensure that there are no plastic films, bags or black bags included in the bin.
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How will the government and DMOs address the challenges of including glass in DRS while ensuring a level playing field across the UK?
There's no easy solution to include glass in the DRS while maintaining a level playing field. Potential approaches include a phased introduction of glass, potentially with higher deposits to reflect its logistical challenges. The government and DMOs could incentivise innovation in glass packaging design and subsidise dedicated return points for glass-handling. Exemptions for smaller businesses unable to handle glass might also be necessary. Any successful solution will likely blend several approaches. It must address the differing priorities of devolved administrations, balance environmental benefits with logistical and cost implications, and be supported by robust consumer education campaigns emphasizing the importance of glass recycling.