Plastic Fantastic!

Three Rivers District Council can now recycle yoghurt pots, plastic bags, Tetra Pak food and drink cartons and more, with the launch of an expanded recycling scheme.

Until now, only plastic bottles could be recycled, along with food cans and aerosols. But from Monday, 1 March, the Council is accepting a much wider range of household plastics in the kerbside recycling boxes, including:

• Ice cream containers
• Margarine / butter tubs
• Yoghurt pots
• Food and microwave meal trays, but NOT trays used for raw meat
• Storage containers
• Shrink wrap (e.g magazine wrappings) but NOT cling film
• Carrier bags
• Flower pots
• Plastic lids and bottle tops
• Food and drinks cartons (commonly called Tetra Paks)

Only cling film, expanded polystyrene foam (often used as a packing material), or raw meat trays cannot be collected (for hygiene reasons).

Councillor Phil Brading, Cabinet Member for Public Services and Health, said:

“Thanks to our residents’ commitment to recycling Three Rivers has the highest recycling rate in Hertfordshire. But it’s always possible to do more, and the new scheme will help to improve Hertfordshire’s environment by reducing landfill needs still further.”

“As part of a wider recycling scheme being introduced by local authorities in Hertfordshire, through WasteAware - the Herts Waste Partnership, the improved service responds to the hundreds of residents who requested more plastic recycling and should help Three Rivers raise its overall recycling rate above the current 50% level.”

Remember to wash and squash to keep recycling boxes free from smells, flies and other pests. Squashing plastics, cartons and cans means more room in the recycling vehicles and in your kerbside recycling boxes.

The UK uses 275,000 tonnes of plastic each year. One recycled plastic bottle can save enough energy to power a 60-watt light bulb for three hours.