Following its biggest year ever in 2021, Recycle Week is back for 2022, and this year it’s about to Get Real. Citizens have more questions than ever about their recycling, and Derby City Council is supporting Recycle Now by giving people real answers throughout the Week and beyond. 
 
This year’s campaign will focus on three common questions that many of us have when it comes to recycling:
  • Does my recycling really make a difference?
  • One item in the bin can’t hurt, can it?
  • Recycling is so confusing, isn’t it?
Recycle Now will be providing recycling information and insights to answer these questions and clarify that by recycling we really can make a difference. In fact, recycling in the UK saves 18 million tonnes of Co2 a year – all these factors reduce greenhouse gas emissions which lead to climate change.
 
By getting our recycling right we can also have an impact. One wrong item in the recycling bin from each of us can make whole lorry loads unrecyclable. Recycling doesn’t have to be confusing - that’s what the Recycling Locator is for! Just pop in your postcode to find out what you can recycle where you live.
 
A host of exciting activities are happening across the UK for the Week.
 
And it’s no different here in Derby. Derby City Council will be supporting Recycle Week by reminding residents what they can recycle, and how. You’ll also notice the Council House and A52 footbridge are lighting up green for Recycle Week. Go and check them out and remember to share your pictures on social media using #RecycleWeek!
 
Wrong items in the bin can make whole lorry loads un-recyclable but worry not - Recycle Now and Derby City Council are here to help! Derby is a city of recyclers – and there are some simple things that we can all do to make our recycling even better. 
 
Top tips for recycling in Derby:
  • Recycle more of these items: Clean foil, cardboard, aerosols, plastic bottles, tubs and trays, paper, cans and tins
  • Make sure these never go in the recycling bin: Nappies (used or unused), crisp packets, plastic bags, food waste.
Craig Stephens, Campaign Manager for Recycle Now commented:
By recycling even better we can have a big impact on our environment. In Derby it’s no different – more and more people are recycling, so the next step is to make sure we get our recycling right. So come on, Derby, keep up the great work and let’s make the city’s recycling better than ever before!
Councillor Jerry Pearce, Cabinet Member for Streetpride, Public Spaces and Leisure added:
Most people recycle which is great but unfortunately, residents don’t always get it right and it can cause serious problems once their bin has been emptied.
 
One of the biggest contaminants is food waste, both entire plates of leftovers and food left in packaging that hasn’t been rinsed out. Just one carrier bag of food waste could mean that several tonnes of recycling has to be rejected because it becomes covered in food in our vehicles and when it is tipped. It not only adds to our costs for disposal but is also unfair on other residents who are doing the right thing.
 
I’d ask that everyone checks our website, derby.gov.uk/bins to see what can and can’t go in the blue bin. We’ve got extensive information to help residents find out what to do with their items and in the coming weeks we’ll be sending information to everyone in the city so they have a handy guide to help them.
 
Lots of things are recyclable, but if we don’t ask for it, we can’t recycle it via the kerbside collections. Please only recycle what we ask for. If you’re not sure about an item, you can always check our website, derby.gov.uk/bins.
To find out more about Recycle Week visit recyclenow.org.uk/RecycleWeek