Suffolk councils join national campaign to save recycling from the bin
Recycle Week, which runs from 14 to 20 October and is organised by Recycle Now, is now in its twenty-first year.
It is the UK’s biggest celebration of recycling, shining a light on the nation’s recycling habits through activities happening across the UK.
For Recycle Week 2024, the Suffolk Waste Partnership, which includes Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils, joins an urgent crusade. That is to save packaging from the bin and living a circular life through recycling instead.
The latest Recycle Now research shows that while we’re a nation of recyclers - nine out of ten people regularly recycle – nearly eight out of ten of us (79%) put one or more items into the bin that could have been recycled.
To highlight the plight of the four ill-fated packaging items, Recycle Now has created a team of characters to bring the campaign to life and is asking everyone to 'rescue me – recycle'.
The condemned containers include:
- Dee Dee the deodorant
- Rey the plastic trigger spray
- Yogi the yoghurt pot
- and humble Hube - the toilet roll tube
The group will feature on recycling and refuse lorries in parts of the UK, in school education packs and on social media.
Life-size characters have been produced to highlight the key message and will feature in media throughout Recycle Week.
A week of fun activities with a serious message, 'rescue me – recycle' aims to empower people in Suffolk to look out for the four items missed most often in the weekly recycling collection.
Suffolk councils will be encouraging residents to keep them in circulation by recycling.
People across Suffolk do a great job with their recycling, but over 58% of the Suffolk rubbish bin contents could still be recycled or composted.
The 'rescue me – recycle' campaign is asking residents to think about all those packaging items that might commonly end up in their rubbish bins.
Especially those from the bathroom and bedroom, and ask if they could be placed in the recycling bin instead.
To help, the Suffolk Waste Partnership will be promoting information across social media throughout Recycle Week.
This will include both the Recycle Now characters, as well as local information including what goes in Suffolk’s recycling bins, how those materials are processed and where they are sent to become new packaging.
Councillor Phil Smart, chair of the Suffolk Waste Partnership, said: “Recycling is important as it means valuable materials can be recaptured - recycled - and used again. It reduces the need to extract oil (for plastic) or metal from the Earth. "The SWP is delighted to support Recycle Week and help residents recycle like heroes. "Recycling not only helps protect our beautiful county but it helps save the Suffolk taxpayer money too. "Throwing old packaging into the rubbish bin is more costly than recycling it."
Craig Stephens, senior campaign manager for Recycle Now, said: “We are delighted that the Suffolk Waste Partnership is supporting Recycle Week. "While a light-hearted campaign, recycling is essential to limit the impact what we buy has on the environment. "Keeping these materials circulating means we can reduce emissions linked with our weekly shop. “Most people are recycling, and the material we capture has a multitude of uses, so the next step is to ensure everyone captures everything they can. "Every aerosol, every trigger spray bottle, every plastic pot and toilet roll tube. Rescue – recycle!”
If you would like to follow the action on social media and take part in your own rescue missions, follow Suffolk Recycles on your chosen social media channels.
