Three Northern Irish businesses have helped raise £16,000 for charity thanks to a unique recycling initiative run by Bryson Recycling.
Bryson Recycling provides a weekly kerbside box collection to 170,000 homes in 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 over the last year, three reprocessing partners – Huhtamaki in Lurgan, Cherry Plastics in Dungannon and Encirc in Fermanagh – have all donated £1 to charity.
The initiative, ‘Recycling Rewards’, is now in its third year, aims to raise money for a worthwhile cause while educating people about the benefits of recycling and has seen 16,000 tonnes of material recycled, leading to £16,000 being donated to the charity PIPS, which delivers Suicide Prevention and Bereavement Support Services, Counselling and Therapies across Northern Ireland.
Bryson Recycling provides a weekly kerbside box collection to 170,000 homes, and for every tonne of paper, plastic and glass collected over the last year, three reprocessing partners, Huhtamaki in Lurgan, Cherry Plastics in Dungannon and Encirc in Fermanagh have all donated £1 to charity.
Commenting on the money raised, Eric Randall, Director at Bryson Recycling, said: “Recycling Rewards is now in its third year and is going from strength to strength. The amount raised this year has been the biggest to date and we are encouraged to see how communities can come together to support others and help the environment at the same time. PIPS charity provides vital support to individuals and families who have been affected by addiction issues and suicide. Suicide prevention is a hugely important issue that desperately needs more funding and the Recycling Rewards campaign has given us the opportunity to do this.
“Our unique approach to recycling also allows us to ensure that we are able to supply quality materials to local companies so they can support local jobs and grow their own business.”
Desy Jones from PIPS added: “Recycling Rewards funding will in reality keep our doors open. Without contributions such as this- we cannot operate, as we are not government funded. Thanks to all the households and partners who have come on board to raise awareness for such an important issue through something so simple that we do every day in our homes.
“Suicide is a growing issue affecting every community here and we are committed to providing a range of services to those who need it most. This support will allow us to provide more than 400 hours every month in counselling, deal effectively with any crises cases instantly, offer support to friends and family affected and also help us educate people more on mental health, the signs to look out for and early intervention.”
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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.