Understanding recycling can be difficult and confusing at first. Between knowing what you can recycle and what can’t and if it is even worth it to do so. This article will discuss what recycling is. Where you can find places in York to recycle. The methods you can use to easily start recycling and why it can be beneficial to you.
Recycling is a waste disposal method that turns waste into new materials or objects. This also includes the recovery of energy. we are all told that recycling is good for the environment. This is because recycling means that there is less waste to incinerate. This has the benefit of fewer greenhouse gasses being released into the atmosphere.
Did you know, according to statistics from https://meanwell-packaging.co.uk/blog/recycling-statistics. That 73% of adults in the UK recycle to the best of their ability? There are 5% who say they never recycle, that is 1 in 20. When it comes to recycling, those between the ages of 55-64 are the most conscious environment. Only half of those in the age range of 18-24 say that they recycle to the best of their ability.
To easily start recycling you can set up a recycling container next to the bin in your home. This makes it easy to separate your non-recyclable waste from the waste that is. Knowing which items are usually collected will help you separate your waste. You should also be aware of what you can and can’t recycle. To help you with this here is a list of some items you can and can’t recycle.
Recyclable waste:
- Paper (including magazines and junk mail etc.)
- Cardboard
- Drink cartons
- Glass bottles and jars
- Hard plastic bottles and containers - Drink cans and empty aerosols
Non-recyclable waste:
- Plastic bags
- Coffee cups from takeaways
- Nappies
- Polystyrene
- Garden waste
- Bubble wrap
- Dead animals
- Syringes and medical waste
- Oils
- Ceramics (cups, plates etc)
According to The Week, experts estimate that every tonne of recycled paper can save 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, 3 cubic yards of landfill space, 4000 kilowatts of energy and 7000 gallons of water. The more that is recycled the fewer amounts of raw resources need processing. Thus, there are fewer negative impacts on the environment.
The effects of recycling on the environment are quite well-known. It is almost common knowledge that recycling cuts down on greenhouse gases. As well as helps preserve natural resources. But what you may not know is that you can make money by recycling. So, recycling becomes more than an obligation.
There are many ways to dispose of our recyclable items. Did you know that high-street retailers such as H&M, and M&S will give you vouchers to spend in-store? You can recycle aluminium cans at Cash for Cans centres for around 40-60p per Kg. this is around 65 cans. Schools will also buy toilet roll tubes as they are essential for classroom projects. You can also turn your old tech into cash Music Magpie.
Are you looking to recycle your waste? If you want help recycling you can go to one of our blogs that provides a Complete List of York Recycling Centres. You can also use York Recycling Service to take your waste to a recycling centre. This way you can save time. York recycling service aims to recycle 99-100% of waste.
York council has a collection every 2 weeks. You can check their waste collection calendar. that you can find here: (https://myaccount.york.gov.uk/bin-collections). There are also a few properties in the city centre that have weekly collections by St Nicks. You can get a list of properties with the days here. (https://stnicks.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Street-list-for-web.pdf).
A few reasons why we may not recycle as much as we can are that the separation of waste can be confusing at first. It also may seem like a daunting and inconvenient task. As well, it is common for us to read about and hear that recycling benefits the environment but how often do we see the effects? This can lead to the opinion that even if we recycle, it won’t make a difference.
Now that we are at the end of this article let's summarize what was discussed. First, we talked a little about what recycling was, and then a few statistics. After that, we talked about how to easily start recycling with a list of what can and can’t be recycled. We followed that up with if it was worth it to recycle and where you can go to recycle. Finishing with a few reasons why you may not recycle as much as you could.
If you have waste that you want to recycle you can Click Here to see prices and book online.
