Keep up the good work, says District Council

Updated: 6 June 2007

Three Rivers District Council recycled a fantastic 44.2% of all waste in the last financial year

Three Rivers District Council recycled a fantastic 44.2% of all waste in the last financial year, maintaining its position as the Council with the highest rate of recycling in Hertfordshire and exceeding government targets set for 2010. The District Council would like to ensure that residents are well informed about the recycling process and keep up the good work to recycle even more in the coming year. Knowing what can and cannot be put in to brown bins is essential to the recycling process, as every time a load of organic waste is refused by the recycling centre due to contamination it costs £2000.

A number of people have contacted the District Council recently after hearing that some supermarkets are now providing carrier bags and plastic packaging which can be composted. The problem with these biodegradable plastics or those made from corn starch is that they take a long time to decompose, and they also need sunlight to degrade, so they don't rot down in the composting process.

Councillor Phil Brading, Public Services and Health portfolio holder, said:

"Biodegradable and corn starch bags and packaging are a step forward, but they're still difficult to deal with, so please don't put them in your brown bin! It would be far better if we all took our own shopping bags to the supermarkets, rather than helping ourselves to endless supplies of plastic carrier bags, which just add to Hertfordshire's waste mountain."

The District Council's advice on reducing carrier bag waste is:

  • Take shopping bags with you whenever you go shopping, or buy the strong reusable plastic bags which some supermarkets sell (so called "bags for life").
  • Say no to unnecessary plastic carrier bags - only take them if you really need them, and reuse them as often as possible.
  • When you've no further use for them, carrier bags should be placed with your ordinary rubbish in your refuse bin.
  • Some supermarkets have collection points for used carrier bags, which they then recycle.
  • If you want to put your food waste in something before placing it in the brown bin please wrap it in newspaper rather than using bags

For more information on what can and cannot be collected through the District Council's waste and recycling collections, visit the related pages below or call 01923 776611.

Visit www.recyclenow.com  for more ideas on how to reduce, reuse and recycle.