Puzzled about Packaging?
Join us for Act For Ealing’s great Recyling Challenge, taking place this Saturday November 5th at the Reduce and Recycle Hub at Acton Market. Wonder what goes in what bin in Ealing scroll down for the guides.
If you’ve ever been frustrated about recycling, you are not alone. Many of us struggle to understand the confusing symbols on packaging. Who hasn’t held up a plastic wrapper asking ‘can it be recycled’?
To get a better understanding, why not drop by Act For Ealing’s stand at Acton Market Reduce and Recycle Hub. We’ll be there from 9am to 4pm and we’re asking visitors to have a chat about recycling and where to put it.
First things first
To help you get recycling, we’ve got Ealing Council leaflets summarizing the essentials. The biggest mistake is to contaminate what’s in the wheelie bin with your leftover lunch. All food waste should go in the small green recycling bin, available from the council, unless you have a compost bin (for fruit and vegetable peelings).
So what goes where?
Blue wheelie bins
Blue wheelie bins are for items that are recycled. Put all your glass and jars, metal tins and cans, aerosols, aluminium foil (if clean), paper and cardboard (if dry), magazines, newspapers, Tetra Pak, cartons and firm plastics such as bottles, pots and tubs inside your bin. Do not include flimsy plastics – eg. bread wrappers. Tip: Items should be LOOSE inside your bin.
Black wheelie bins
Black wheelie bins are for items that cannot currently be recycled: tissues, paper towel, cling film, cotton buds, sanitary towels, nappies, wet wipes, polystyrene, wet paper or card. NOTE: if you cannot access a soft plastics collection point, you could also dispose of flimsy wrappers – eg. crisp packets – in the black wheelie, but do remember that it will go to landfill, so it is not the best solution. Tip: Items should be in a black refuse bag inside your bin.
What else can I get collected?
Textiles and batteries (bagged in a CLEAR plastic bag) can be left on top of the blue wheelie bin. Alternatively, for the doorstep collection of textiles, you can call TRAID – free to Ealing residents. For large household items, such as beds, sofas, fridges and televisions, a bulky items collection can be requested (charges apply). Find out more at http://www.ealing.gov.uk/reusecollection
Non-Kerbside
Soft plastics collection point
Soft plastics, also known as low-density polyethylene (LDPE), are more challenging to recycle. A number of specialist collection points do exist and many supermarkets offer collection points. For example Co-op, Sainsbury’s and Tesco are now offering soft plastic drop-offs. At Morrisons, plastic bags can be deposited. Ealing Council, in collaboration with Terracycle, has a facility at Greenford Recycling Centre.
Other recycling
Kerbside collection gathers up a significant amount of recyclables, but not everything you want to discard. Local Recycling Centres have containers for small electrical items, textiles, DIY waste, batteries, light bulbs, ink cartridges, oil and paint.
Phew! It’s a lot to remember, but well worth getting to grips with. If everyone disposes of waste responsibly, it will make our borough a brighter, greener place. Do drop by the Reduce and Recycle Hub this Saturday at Acton Market. Friendly advisors will chat to you about your concerns and you can test your knowledge at Act For Ealing’s great Recycling Challenge!