Guest column: Get recycling for spring

With spring well under way and the last of the Easter eggs now well and truly eaten, now is a great time to get creative and think of ways to recycle.
Remember to recycle when you do your spring cleanRemember to recycle when you do your spring clean
Remember to recycle when you do your spring clean

It’s often said we are a nation of chocaloholics, but it’s still staggering to think we get through 80 million boxed chocolate eggs in this country which generate an estimated 3,000 tonnes of waste!

In Nottinghamshire we have a materials recovery facility where the recyclable materials we put in our kerbside recycling bin are separated and sent to be made into new products.

And on average, our 12 recycling centres recycle an impressive 80 per cent of waste received.

This saves money and reduces energy bills.

So as part of the post-Easter clear-up, don’t forget cardboard Easter egg boxes can go into your kerbside recycling bin, as well as Easter cards of course.

Remember any plastic packaging needs to be placed in the general rubbish bin.

Shiny foil from Easter eggs can be re-used to make decorations or is a colourful way to wrap up leftover food.

If you’ve been gardening over the Easter weekend or planning to over the coming weeks, add your plant prunings and grass cuttings to compost heaps.

This will improve the soil quality and help plants grow.

And if you are having a spring clean, then you will be glad to hear that Nottinghamshire’s 12 recycling centres are now open even longer, with summer opening hours from 8am till 8pm daily.

It’s not just paper and card you can recycle at the local recycling centre on Shireoaks Road in Worksop, but lots of other materials too such as, glass, textiles and shoes, garden and green waste, batteries, scrap metals, timber and even electrical items.

Don’t forget, you now need to be registered to use any of the recycling centres.

Register at www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/registertorecycle or by calling 0300 5008080.

n Rachel Peck is team manager for environment and resources at Nottinghamshire County Council.