Renewi work in partnership with Wakefield Council to manage the districts waste and have built a state of the art new waste treatment facility which helps to reduce landfill, recycle more and create sustainable energy.
We run a waste Education programme which aims to educate the local community about the importance of recycling and caring for the environment. We have a purpose built education centre at South Kirkby where we deliver educational events to schools and community groups and also go out into the community to deliver interactive workshops and talks. We are looking for volunteers to help us deliver the Education programme. Please contact the Education team education.wakefield@renewi.com if you are interested in joining the team.
Here at @Wakefieldrecycles we have been busy visiting the district. We’ve been getting asked lots of questions so we thought we’d share some answers.
Q. What should go in my brown recycling bin?
Bottles! We’re talking cleaning product bottles, trigger spray bottles, pump action dispenser bottles, drinks bottles, shampoo and shower gel bottles, milk bottles or glass bottles. Their labels can stay on too.
Remember, wash, squash and lids off! This means the items can be recycled and your bin stays clean.
Lids should be off because Lids and tops are often made of different types of materials and they end up reducing the quality of the recycling if they are left on.
We also want your glass jars, drink cans, food tins, tin foil and aerosols in your recycling bin too. Newspaper, paper, card, card egg boxes, cardboard can also go into your recycling bin. This includes envelopes, last year’s yellow pages & takeaway leaflets.
Renewi Tip: Your envelope windows can also go in the Recycling bin- don’t waste any more time pulling them off.
Q: Can I put Christmas Cards in the recycling bin?
Wrapping paper and glittery cards can’t be put in your recycling bin as they contaminate the paper so please don’t put them in the recycling bin. If the card is plain, with no glitter, it is recyclable so it can go in the recycling bin.
Renewi Tip: Rip off the card front & put in the plain back section of the card.
Q. Should I put my recycling in a bag before it goes into the bin?
No thanks! Your plastic bags need to go into the general waste bin to be turned into green energy or taken to the plastic bag banks at our bring sites or supermarkets.
Renewi Tip: Many people now have a re-usable bag and try to refuse single use plastic carrier bags wherever possible. Why not give it a go!
Q. What about other types of plastic packaging – which have a recycling symbol on the packaging?
The only plastic that we recycle in Wakefield are plastic bottles. People are sometimes confused about this and put all types of plastic packaging in their mixed recycling bin – things like margarine tubs, fruit punnets, food trays and yoghurt pots. We want these in the general waste bin so that they can be turned into energy.
Please ignore any codes, symbols or recycling signs on plastic packaging – they do not tell you whether a product can be recycled in Wakefield or not – they simply show what type of plastic was used to make the product. There are thousands of different types of plastic and here at Wakefield we can only accept plastic in the form of a bottle.
Renewi Tip: Many people are now using reusable items and opting for recyclable packaging at the supermarket to reduce the amount of un-recyclable waste they produce.
Q. Can I recycle nappies because it has a recycling symbol on the packet?
Unfortunately, we often find nappies mixed in with the recycling bin contents. Nappies can’t be recycled as they are made from a mixture of materials, they are also usually soiled. So PLEASE put all nappies into your green general waste bin.
Q. What should I do with my household items which are too good to be put in the bin?
We’ve been asked about: VHS, DVD, CD, furniture, fabrics, textiles, rugs, vases, picture frames, books, coat hangers, clothing, shoes, utensils, toys and musical instruments.
If they can’t be re-used, bring them to a Bring Site or Household Waste Recycling Centre. Take them to a good old car boot sale, sell them on Freecycle, Gumtree or Facebook marketplace. Or donate them to a charity shop.
Q. What should I do with blankets and bedding?
Blankets and bedding get tangled in our machinery if they are put into any of the household bins so if they can’t be reused, bring them to the HWRC.
Alternately, clean, reusable blankets, bedding, and towels can be taken to charity shops and homeless shelters in Wakefield. Also, some animal shelters/charities take blankets, bedding, pillows and towels. Give them a call and see if they would like them.
Q. What do I do with my Christmas tree?
Your Christmas tree can be brought to the Household Waste Recycling Centre to be recycled.
Q. What do i do with my batteries?
Batteries can’t go into your general bin or recycling bin, please find your nearest battery recycling point with Recycle Now’s recycling locator.
If you have a question for us, email education.wakefield@renewi.com or ask via our Facebook page.
#Wakefielddoes #Compleat
We’re inviting the Wakefield community to join us in compleatly ending food waste.
Did you know, a family of four throws away £70 of food every month!
If households across the UK curbed the amount of food ending up in our kitchen bins, it would reduce emissions of harmful gases that are contributing to climate change.
New Year, New Rules
Shopping Lists
It doesn’t matter what day of the week your big shop falls on, making a shopping list or a family weekly meal plan will help you to save money and reduce leftover waste. Remember to buy only what you need. Create a family meal prep plan, or make enough food to take the leftovers to work tomorrow so you don’t have to cook twice.
Let’s Lunch
Organise a shared lunch at work or a community group- everyone brings a home made item for the spread in a reusable container.
Make friends with your freezer
Many of your food can be kept fresh for longer: from bread, cheese, meat and even potatoes. Try getting your bread in a paper bag not plastic, put it in a breadbin and use a sealing slip to keep it fresh for longer.
‘Use by’ and ‘best before date’
These labels are there to help you keep track of your food’s safety and quality. Remember food past it’s ‘best before date’ is safe to eat after the stated date. ‘Use-by’ is stated for safety so shouldn’t be consumed after that date.
Portion sizes
The most commonly wasted foods are basic staples; bread, rice, potatoes and pasta. Use a portion calculator to get it right next time.
Love your leftovers
Never leave a lonely carrot in the fridge. Whether it’s a chunk of cheese or quarter of a tub of yoghurt. Don’t throw them in the bin, look for a tasty left-over recipe or be spontaneous and wing it with your own. Reserve your wine and put leftover wine in ice cube trays to use in stocks and stews.
Eat Seasonably
Invest in winter veg ideal for making hearty, warm meals during autumn. In summer, opt for the refreshing fruit and vegetables the earth has to offer.
Forage
Go outdoors & forage for blackberries, apples, plums and pears. Freeze your berries to keep them for longer. Frozen blackberries are a sweet topper direct from the freezer for winter porridge. Preserve & pickle your berries to make them last longer.
If you’d like to get involved but need some inspiration, why not visit of of our open day events and see Compleating in action! Book your place by email or Facebook (education.wakefield@renewi.com)
From January 2019, The Education Team at Renewi Wakefield are launching a Go Green 19 challenge. We all make New Years resolutions which we admittedly don’t keep. Why not try Go Green 19?
Every Sunday morning, wake up to a new challenge from @Wakefieldrecycles. The changes will be small and gradual with an overall aim for all the challenges to be sustained throughout the year.
The Education team are also going to take part in the challenge, offering events, support and celebrating successes along the way. This includes: Reusable Nappy, BabytoBaby, Book Swap and Compleat. We’d love to see your photos & hear your thoughts along the journey.
The transition to a greener lifestyle is overwhelming, but we hope that by taking the journey together it will be much more enjoyable. Let the benefits reap, by being a conscious consumer, saving money and ultimately having a positive impact on the future of the earth.
Remember the real motivation for Go Green 19, as reminded by the old Native American proverb,
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children“.
Below are a number of documents which have detailed information to help you #GoGreen19.
Take a read & see what changes you can make.
Go Green In The Bathroom