Visitors to recycling centres asked to sort out their waste beforehand

Visitors to Oxfordshire’s household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) are being asked to separate recyclable material from their general waste before disposing of it.

Oxfordshire County Council wants residents to sort their mixed rubbish out before their visit, in a bid to prevent items that can be recycled from ending up in the general waste and bulky skips.

Visitors are encouraged to separate their recycling so it can be put into the relevant containers which are on site, including plastics, card, textiles and shoes, metals and electrical items, before setting off.

Councillor Pete Sudbury, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, said: “We know that our residents are in favour of this. It will help us reduce our carbon emissions, and cut the amount of recyclable waste that goes to energy recovery.

“A little bit of effort can make a big difference to improve Oxfordshire’s already excellent recycling rates.”

Analysis of the general waste skip showed that up to 60 per cent of the items disposed there could have been recycled instead. Items which often get thrown in the wrong skip include plastic chairs, saucepans, ripped clothing, blankets and towels, all of which could have been recycled.

The campaign follows a recent consultation in which the council asked residents their views on how to increase recycling rates further. The feedback called for visitors to HWRCs to sort their mixed waste and recycling before their visit.

Other benefits will include enabling quicker visits and reducing traffic queues at the sites.

Oxfordshire has topped the national table when it comes to recycling, reusing, and composting for eight years in a row. Oxfordshire County Council was named the best performing county council waste disposal authority in England in 2020-21, with residents recycling, reusing, or composting 59.5 per cent of their household waste, according to the most recent government figures.

Details of where to find your nearest HWRC is available at oxfordshire.gov.uk/recyclingcentres.

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