Recycle Now

One of the particular bugbears for people is seeing their friends and relatives living in other authority areas have a different list of acceptable items that are collected in the recycling scheme.

I've lost count of the number of times I have been asked about mixed plastics and until recently foil.

While I am happy to answer these questions, sometimes I think it would be more satisfying for people to have a bigger overview of how the household recycling system works across the country.

Recycle Now is a website that has been set up by the Government-funded organisation WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) and gives generalised information about recycling in your household.

There is also a separate section for schools including educational activities and downloadable materials for both teachers and students.

The website is divided into several sections giving generic advice on how to recycle at home, school or work.

It is not intended to be a substitute for local advice, indeed there are many sections where it encourages the user to refer to local authorities.

What it does do though is give information about the types of issues that are causing the difference in services.

What these usually boil down to is the priority afforded to waste and recycling and how favourable local contracts have enabled local solutions.

In one section there is a comprehensive list of typical components of the average waste stream suggesting how they can recycle the item and giving tips on where to look when trying to recycle an unusual item such as a can of paint or a videocassette.

My favourite part of the site though is the section that looks at how your recycling material is actually recycled.

Seeing the process gives more of an appreciation of why presenting clean material is vital to successful recycling.

If you have ever been puzzled by the plethora of recycling symbols out there, the website also has a 'spotters guide'.

If you have enjoyed the site and would like to know more about more local issues, there is also the www.recycleforwestsussex.org site that is well worth visiting.

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