Social enterprise Bryson Recycling has raised £21,000 whilst recycling 21,000 tonnes of plastic, glass and paper over the past year.
Bryson’s ‘Recycling Rewards’ initiative, developed in 2015, aims to encourage households to recycle more whilst raising money for worthwhile causes.
The social enterprise provides a weekly kerbside recycling collection to 170,000 homes across Antrim and Newtownabbey, Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon, Belfast, Lisburn and Castlereagh, and Mid and East Antrim.
For every tonne of paper, plastic and glass collected, three local reprocessing partners – Huhtamaki in Lurgan, Cherry Pipes in Lurgan and Dungannon, and Encirc in Fermanagh – donate £1 to Bryson’s charity partner MACS.
MACS provides a range of services for vulnerable children and young people, many of whom have faced homelessness, substance abuse or mental health issues. Bryson Recycling’s donations have supported the charity’s ‘Muddy Paws’ initiative, which helps young people to gain skills and responsibilities through looking after dogs in Belfast.
Eric Randall, Director at Bryson Recycling, said: “Recycling Rewards creates important conversations around recycling and shows we can all make a positive contribution to society through simple, everyday tasks in the home.
“Our unique approach to recycling results in high quality materials; over 86 per cent of what we collect is recycled locally which is better for the environment, the economy and sustains local jobs.
“I am delighted that we have been able to support such a worthwhile cause this year helping young people overcome challenges and setting them out on a positive journey.
Mary Ryan, MACS’ CEO, said: “Muddy Paws is the first young people-led social project of its kind in Northern Ireland so we are very grateful Bryson Recycling supported such an innovative start-up. Funds from Recycling Rewards allowed Muddy Paws to get off to a flying start.
“Working with the dogs has already helped our young people to gain job-skills and confidence, get out walking and socialising, all whilst providing a useful and popular service to pet-owners. We really can’t thank Bryson Recycling enough.”
Bryson Recycling, which celebrated its 25th anniversary last year, is now the largest social enterprise recycler in the UK, collecting and processing materials from over 60 per cent of homes in Northern Ireland.
For more information visit the Bryson Recycling website.
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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.