Recycling & Re-Using Resources
The problem with waste
Around 40,500 tonnes of household rubbish was collected in Rugby Borough during 2005, of which approximately 34,000 tonnes ended up in local landfill sites! This figure represents more than one tonne of rubbish per household per year - one tonne of rubbish would be roughly enough to fill a domestic garage.
UK-wide, on average every person throws away their own body weight in rubbish every 7 weeks, when calculated over a year we are producing enough rubbish to stretch from the earth to the moon.
The problem with landfill
Around 82% of Rugby's household rubbish is currently sent to landfill. Landfill space isn't endless and alternative ways to deal with this ever-growing problem are vital. If this rate is maintained, space in Warwickshire landfill will run out in the not-too-distant future.
Land-filling rubbish is wasteful. Once buried the natural resources are lost forever. Landfill sites can also be harmful to the environment.
Reduce
One of the best ways of reducing waste sent to landfill is to avoid waste in the first place. This can be done by making informed choices at the supermarket, such as avoiding packaging and carrier bags that you don't really need. Why not try some other ideas:
- Register with the Mailing Preference Service to avoid receiving unwanted junk mail. Log on to www.mpsonline.org.uk
- Buy concentrated products and refills.
- Don't buy disposable items if possible.
- Alternatives to disposable nappies include reusable nappies and nappy washing services.
- Try composting. Up to one third of the contents of your bin can be composted. Home composters are available at a subsidised rate. Phone 0845 073 2001 or visit www.recyclenow.com/compost for further details.
Re-use
Many of the things which we throw away as 'rubbish' are in fact useful items which could be used again either in your home or used by others:
- Re-use drinks bottles and margarine tubs for storage containers or give to local schools and young peoples groups.
- Many cleaning products come in packaging that can be refilled.
- Re-use envelopes/wrapping paper and scrap paper.
- Repair items instead of throwing them away.
- Give old shoes, books and toys to charity shops.
Another alternative for unwanted things which are just too good to throw away is to find somebody locally who can put them to good use. Freecycle and Freebay are websites that allow you to advertise items that you are willing to give away for free. Registered members can contact you be email if they would like to take the item that you are advertising. Once you've made the link it's up to you to arrange collection / delivery with the other person.
You can also browse a large variety of items advertised by other people, and get them for free if that's what you need. Please click on the relevant local group below:
Rugby Freecycle
Coventry Freecycle
Warwick & Leamington Freecycle
Daventry Freecycle
Warwickshire & Coventry Community Freebay
Recycle
Recycling provides a real opportunity to put less rubbish in landfill, however it needs the participation of households to make it succeed.
Around 95% of homes in Rugby have two red boxes for recycling paper, glass and cans, as well as a Garden Waste Collection serving roughly half the Borough.
What can go in the red boxes?
YES PLEASE:
• White & coloured paper
• Shredded paper (please wrap in newspaper)
• Newspapers
• Magazines
• Catalogues
• Travel brochures
• Window envelopes
• Brown envelopes
• Junk mail
• Yellow Pages
• Telephone directories
• Wrapping paper
• Greeting cards
• Glass bottles
• Glass jars
• Food and pet food cans (please rinse)
• Drink cans
• Sweet and biscuit tins
• Aerosols (please remove cap - do not attempt to dismantle)
NO THANK YOU:
• Books
• Cardboard
• Wallpaper
• Plastic bottles (please take to recycling centres)
• Plate glass & Pyrex
• Yoghurt pots
• Margarine tubs
• Foil
• Food trays
On top of the kerbside collections, there are also 37 recycling centres across Rugby Borough, collecting paper, glass, cans, and textiles. Ten of these sites also have facilities to collect plastic bottles. List of the recycling centres in Rugby and the materials they collect
For a map showing where the recycling centres in Rugby are situated please follow the link below:
http://www.recyclenow.com
A-Z of recycling in Warwickshire
For anyone living locally outside Rugby Borough, here are links to information about recycling in other areas:
City of Coventry
Daventry District
Lutterworth
Warwickshire County Council
Leicestershire County Council
Northamptonshire County Council
Printer ink and toner cartridges can now be recycled at Church!
We have an agreement with Cartridge World whereby we will get some money for church funds for any cartridges we collect that can be re-used.
So, please help the environment and the church at the same time by putting your used printer cartridges in the box at the back of church. Thanks.
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