Where to recycle what?

It’s amazing what you find out once you get going…..

This week on the rubbish diet we are looking at all the stuff we can recycle in Shropshire so your local Bin Doctor has been out and about:

All your plastic pots:

As you know Shropshire Council are now collecting all your plastic pots such as margarine tubs, yoghurt pots from kerbside which is fab as this plastic makes up so much of our rubbish. Self Help Africa, above Paulo’s Osteria in Shrewsbury are collecting Plastic milk bottle tops - so if you are passing drop them off.

Stretchy plastic wrap:

But what about all that plastic wrap? What can we do with it? You may have noticed bins outside the Coop, Tescos and Sainsburys which say “Recycle your plastic bags here”  – well the good news is that it isn’t just carrier bags – you can put in wrap from toilet rolls, fruit bags, bread bags in there as well – in fact any plastic that feels a bit stretchy.

Biscuit wrappers:

As for biscuit wrappers – from your custard creams, digestives or any other biscuit can be recycled at the Shrewsbury United Reform Church – just pop them in a bag and drop them off at the church office or at 30 Ashley Street. They will be sent back to Terracycle where they will be made into new products.

Pen recycling:

Meole Brace School are collecting all your old pens, markers and highlighters – if you are anything like me you may well have a drawer full of old pens – have a sort out and drop them off in reception at Meole Brace school – they will be sent off to Terracycle to make  watering cans.

Electrical goods:

There are banks for small electrical items all over Shropshire – check out the Shropshire Waste website  www.shropshire.gov.uk/waste.nsf

For details of where you can recycle what.

If you know of a local group collecting particular materials – please let me know so that we can get the word out.

Woodfield Road, the latest street to take up the Rubbish Diet Challenge!!

Never ceases to amaze me!!

Over the Easter break I got my kids to post a little leaflet about the Rubbish diet challenge through my neighbours doors. I offered cake and a chat about rubbish! Low and behold 5 people turned up last night - all live on my street, but do you know what  - I hadn't even seen them never mind talked to them. So even before we get into the benefits of taking the rubbish diet together - I already know 5 more of my neighbours!

I decided to ask people on my street to do the Rubbish diet with me having seen the great things that have happened in Ashley St - where 22 households are slimming their bins together and sharing journeys to the Household Recycling centre for cardboard, tetrapak and electrical items.

It's bin day today so the bin slimmers of Woodfield Road have thrown themselves straight into the challenge -aiming to reduce the amount of stuff that ends up in their blue bin by recycling more, composting for England, trying to avoid non-recyclable packaging etc.

We have decided to share cardboard recycling as well - so I will put out a sack for cardboard on Sunday and people can wander down the road with their cardboard instead of  driving it to a bring bank.

I love getting to know my neighbours so I am really looking forward to slimming bins with the folk of Woodfield road over the next 8 weeks.

If you think your street would like to meet up and eat cake and talk rubbish - let me know and I will happily come and have a chat and help you set it up. It really works and it's good fun.

Have a look at our lovely new website and sign up for the Rubbish Diet: www.therubbishdiet.org.uk

Alison@therubbishdiet.org.uk or give me a ring on 07972 858313

The Rubbish Diet Website goes live!!!

Hello

Well after a lot of writing, rewriting, testing and talking - we are proud to announce that the Rubbish diet website is up and running ready for our launch of the Rubbish Diet challenge in Suffolk, Shropshire and Powys next week.

Which county will lose the most? - which county has the most to lose? We will find out over the next 3 months as we attempt to persuade over 200 households to take the rubbish diet challenge.

Whether it's a space thing and you can't get everything in your bin, your bin smells because of rotting food or you just can't stand our throw away lifestyle  - the rubbish diet will help to solve your waste problems.

It is a really straight forward process - all you need to do is sign up on the website www.therubbishdiet.org.uk and you will receive an introduction to the rubbish diet with step by step instructions of how to slim your bin.

Ali Thomas is your local Bin Doctor - and is really happy to come and have a rubbish chat - drop her a line on Alison@therubbishdiet.org.uk or ring 07972 858313 if you and your neighbours want to take the Rubbish Diet together or if you think your school, guide group, church or toddler group might be interested in slimming their bins and saving money at the same time.

Here's to slim bins in Shropshire this Spring!