Recycle for Wales help reduce Halloween waste

Recycle for Wales has created a new guide to tackle unnecessary waste at Halloween.

According to Recycle for Wales 18,000 tonnes of pumpkin is thrown away each year. The new guide offers recipes and suggestions for how to use the inside of a pumpkin after it has been carved, and gives advice about how to recycle the rest.

It also offers information on saving money and how to avoid creating extra waste during the Halloween season, for example, creating costumes from old sheets or finding outfits in charity shops rather than spending money on new outfits and throwing them away.

The Love Food Hate Waste portion planner is also recommended as a way of avoiding over-cooking when hosting a Halloween party. Alternatively, Recycle for Wales has prepared a number of recipes to use up left over food.

Read more about Recycle for Wales’ Halloween guide.

Winners of Scottish Resources Awards announced

Dundee City Council and Clyde Shopping Centre are amongst the winners of the 2014 Scottish Resources Awards.

Taking place on Wednesday (22 October), after this year’s Scottish Resources Conference 2014, the awards celebrated the efforts of organisations and individuals working to deliver a zero waste society in Scotland.

The 2014 winners are:

• Best Partnership Initiative - North Ayrshire Council and Cunninghame Furniture Recycling Company Ltd
• Excellence in Resource Management (Small Organisation) - Clyde Shopping Centre
• Excellence in Resource Management (Medium Organisation) - Levenseat Ltd
• Excellence in Resource Management (Large Organisation) - Dundee City Council
• Young Recycler of the Year Award - Katie Ferrie
• Outstanding Contribution Award (The People’s Choice) - Graeme Cunningham

Iain Gulland, Director of Zero Waste Scotland, said: “I’d like to offer my congratulations to all of the winners and nominees in this year’s Scottish Resources Awards. We will need the expertise and innovation of people like these to move towards a more sustainable resources industry and a more Circular Economy in Scotland.

Find out more about the Scottish Resources Awards.

Stackable recycling bins introduced at Bath Spa University

A new ‘space-saving’ recycling unit is being used at Bath Spa University to save money and increase recycling rates.

Bin design and manufacturinf company Leafield Environmental has created the new ‘EnviroStack’ bins, which have been installed in Bath Spa’s new halls of residence that opened last month.

The bins, placed in student’s kitchens, will be used bag-free as the university has pledged to become ‘bagless’ as part of a strategy to save money and increase recycling rates by 80 per cent by 2016.

The EnviroStack can collect up to four types of recycling in one stackable unit, and have a 52 litre capacity. The design is also WRAP compliant with colourful lids to suit up to seven different waste streams. The bin body can be produced in different colours as well, and the black version can be made from 100 per cent recycled plastic. A two-bin unit will cost £99, including recycling labels.

Read more about Leafield Environmental.

Portsmouth resident wins cash for recycling

A 44-year old woman has won a £500 cash prize from Portsmouth City Council’s BIG Recycle scheme.

Jody Baw, who lives in a flat with her family in Portsea, won the money in the September prize draw, which had been doubled to celebrate the first birthday of the council’s recycling scheme.

The BIG Recycle is open to all residents over 18, whether they live in a flat or a house. Residents who are signed up (and recycle) are entered in to a monthly prize draw to win a variety of prizes, including cash.

Commenting on her win, Jody Haws said: “I live in a flat so I wasn't sure if I could sign up when the guy first come round, but now I've won I would say to everyone in a flat to sign up and get recycling!"

Jasmine Fletcher, Team Manager for Environmental Change at Portsmouth City Council, said: "It's lovely to see the double prize fund going to a worthy home. Jody has always been a keen recycler so it was a no -brainer for her to sign up."

Find out more about the BIG Recycle scheme.

North Lincolnshire offers prizes for electrical recycling

North Lincolnshire Council has announced an ‘electrical giveaway’ competition to encourage recycling.

Residents are being asked to bring broken and unwanted electrical items (such as fridges, TVs, hairdryers, irons and kettles) to one of the area’s Household Recycling Centres between 20 October and 19 December. Those donating electrical items will be given a prize draw ticket, with the chance of winning one of five prizes: a smart television; a games console; a camera; an e-reader; or a clock radio.

The prizes have been provided by the councils’ contractor for recycling and disposal of electrical waste, Repic, in order to promote recycling.

Dr Phillip Morton, CEO of Repic, said: “Having teamed up with North Lincolnshire Council over the summer for our local community electrical giveaway we’re pleased to support their promotion to help raise awareness about WEEE recycling.

“As we know, WEEE is one of the fastest growing waste streams and everyone has a part to play in responsible recycling and initiatives such as North Lincolnshire’s are a great way to engage the general public.”

Councillor Nigel Sherwood, cabinet member for Neighbourhood and Environment at North Lincolnshire Council said that the scheme was a “generous offer from Repic” and a “great incentive for people to recycle their unwanted electrical items”.

Find out more about Repic.