Residents asked to ‘step it up’ and fight climate change this Recycle Week
Recycle Now and Shropshire Council are asking residents to ‘step it up’ and recycle more in the fight against climate change.
The call comes to make the start of national Recycle Week 2021 (20 – 26 September).
Craig Stephens, Campaign Manager for Recycle Now, said:
“This year we’re focussed on how recycling can help fight climate change and how by recycling even better we can have a bigger impact on our environment. Here in Shropshire it’s no different – more and more of us are recycling, so the next step is to make sure we get our recycling right. So come on, Shropshire, keep up the great work and let’s make the county’s recycling better than ever before!”
Ian Nellins, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for climate change, natural assets and the green economy, said:
“Every plastic bottle, glass jar, metal can or piece of cardboard placed in the correct recycling container will help us to fight climate change.
“Recycling, rather than littering, will also make a huge difference to the environment in Shropshire.
“Shropshire residents are generally very good at recycling, but we could all do better and the introduction of a third bin for mixed recycling next year will help us all to recycle more. Recycle Week is a great opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of recycling and should set Shropshire residents up well for future recycling in their new bin.”
This year Recycle Now welcomes a celebrity ambassador to front Recycle Week – TV Presenter, Invictus Games Medallist and Strictly Come Dancing Star JJ Chalmers (pictured).
A keen environmentalist, JJ is partnering with Recycle Now to inspire the nation to ‘Step It Up’ in the fight against climate change. He says:
“I’m thrilled to be part of this year’s campaign. I’m passionate about the environment and how we can battle climate change. I am delighted to be working with the Recycle Now team on what has become a really important week of action across the UK. I really want to encourage people to look at what they are doing and how they can ‘Step It Up’ and do even more… even better.”
Recycling currently saves 18 million tonnes of CO2 every year, which is the same as taking 12 million cars off the road.
Latest research from Recycle Now reveals that almost 9 out of 10 people now recycle.
However, 55% of households put items in the general rubbish bin that can be recycled; including foil, aerosols, and plastic toiletry (shampoo and conditioner bottles), plastic trays, cleaning and bleach bottles. This is where we need to ‘Step It Up’.
Further information
Every year Recycle Week unites retailers, brands, waste management companies, trade associations, national & local governments and the media to focus on how recycling can play a part in limiting the pressure we put on the planet through our use of natural resources.
Shropshire is a county of recyclers – but there are some simple things that we can all do to make our recycling even better.
Top tips for recycling in Shropshire:
- Recycle more of these items:
- Batteries: any batteries from
- Plastic: pot and bottles from the bathroom.
- Glass: jars and bottles even empty perfume bottles.
- Metals: cans, foil, aerosols and tins
- Paper and cardboard: boxes and packaging
- Make sure these never go in the recycling bin:
- food and drink cartons (Tetrapak),
- carrier bags, plastic film, broken toys, ceramics, polystyrene
- scrap metal and foil pouches.
For the second year running major brands are putting their support/backing behind the Week by donating to help fund it including: Amazon, British Soft Drinks Association, Britvic, Coca-Cola, Coop, Danone, innocent drinks, Listerine, McDonald’s, The Natural Source Waters Association, Ocado, PepsiCo, Prevented Ocean Plastic, and Waitrose and Partners UK
To find out more about Recycle Week, and to find out what you can and can’t recycle where you live, click here.
About Recycle Week
Recycle Week is the UK’s annual event to build awareness of and encourage increased participation in recycling behaviour. It is organised by WRAP under the Recycle Now brand.
About Recycle Now
Pioneers of a new normal. Experienced doers. And passionate leaders of the UK’s recycling movement. At Recycle Now, we work collaboratively with the UK’s biggest business and local authorities across the nation, to realise our vision of a future where recycling is the new normal.
