How To Recycle

The constant advancement of technology means we are always after the latest gadgets which results in users throwing away 1.4 million tonnes of unwanted electricals each year.  Until recently most ended up in landfill which caused a massive problem for the environment with the release of CFC gases, these gases than cause damage

Lightbulbs are essential to our homes and businesses, in recent years they have changed from the incandescent bulbs which are now banned to low energe and LED bulbs, but with this change comes the challenge of recycling.  In 2016 6000 tonnes of lamps were collected and recycled with only 1% being LED lamps.

Sainsbury's have been supporting the Poppy Appeal for more than 20 years and raised £3.2 million through collections and selling of merchandise last year.  Sainsbury's are the only place you can recycle poppies, they can be broken down and recycled or repurposed into new poppies for the following year.  

The UK generates 400,000 tonnes of waste carpet every year, but nearly all carpets can be recycled and manufactured into new products, including sports pitches and insulation.  You can recycle carpets by selling it if it is in good condition, donating it or if your really savvy it can be used to help banish weeds from vegetable plots.  

We use batteries every single day in our lives, whether it be the battery in your car or the batteries in your TV remote, batteries contain hazardous chemicals and harmful metals but still are recyclable.  You would have noticed in your local supermarket somewhere in the shop there is a battery recycling point, as of 2010 any retailers that sell over 32kg of batteries per year have to provide recycling facilities in store.  

When your mattress comes to the end of its life, what do you do with it?  Some companies will pick up your old mattress in receipt of a new one, but if they do not offer that service it is a large bulky item to try and dispose of, but mattresses can be recycled either by using a designated company or if it is in good condition charities will accept them.

UK consumers buy a lot of electronic gadgets and around and with the tenchology moving so fast there is a lot of electronic waste being produced, it is estimated around 2 million tonnes of electronic waste is produced each year in the UK alone and that it is the fastest waste growing waste stream.  

If everyone recycled just 1 can of air freshner there would be enough energy saved to power 273,000 Tvs for a year, many people are unaware that recycled aerosol containers can be turned into something useful like mobile phone parts, 8 out of 10 people were unaware.