Image: waste removal done right, by Only Pay What It Weighs
Merry Christmas! And – from the day after tomorrow – Happy New Year!
We’re pleased to see some online advice being offered about how not to have a fine time this Christmas and in the days after as bins swell with newly discarded wrapping paper and packaging. That’s the appropriate bins of responsible householders, to be clear. Christmas and New Year alike will generate, no doubt, plenty of fly-tipping stories such as this one concerning an Asda store in Scotland. Though what is perhaps even worse in this report is the added and – apparently unconnected – video of a van fly tipping in a residential street by raising its flatbed so all of the rubbish on board spreads across the road as it zooms along. Needless to say, that kind of operator gives our trade a bad name, and also is the kind of outfit that may dump some of the rubbish we take away for free every time we clock up 100 paid-for loads.
Onto the advice. as The Sun reports, “Christmas recycling mistakes… could leave you out of pocket with £200 fines.”
They say, “Brits who fail to dispose of their wrapping paper and other waste correctly risk facing fines of up to £200. Are you sure you know what can be recycled and what cannot? From wrapping paper to tinsel and gift tags, this is how you know what can be recycled to avoid unnecessary fines this year.
“While each council will have its own regulations on recycling and waste disposal, there are some general tips that can help. As the UK leaves around 277,000 miles of wrapping paper in landfills every year, per data cited by Nottinghamshire Live, here is how to know if you can recycle it or not. You may think that all wrapping paper can be put in the recycle bin but that is not true. For incorrect recycling, households can be fined between £60 and £200.
“On the whole, if you can scrunch up the paper and it remains scrunched, you can put it in the recycle. But, if any paper has glitter, foil, or cellophane on it, it cannot. In order to avoid excess waste, if it is still in good nick, you can always reuse the paper either for other gifts or to cut it up, stick it on cardboard, and make gift tags for next year. The same goes for tissue paper as it cannot be recycled due to its short fibres.
“Large boxes and packaging should be broken down and any plastic, film, or polystyrene should be removed before being put in the recycling. Christmas cards are also a huge waste problem in the UK with around one billion cards being thrown away each year, the equivalent of 33 million trees. Like with wrapping paper, any cards with glitter, plastic film, or metallic effects and graphics are not recyclable. Meanwhile, even if you do your best to recycle and find that the lid will no longer shut, this can also cause problems. Due to altered collection times, some areas could fine you up to £150 for overfilled bins.
“Those who have replacements for electronics must also be wary of how they dispose of their old ones and any batteries. Neither of these items can go in the bin and should instead be put into local recycling bins specifically for these products. The Sun previously reported on the five mistakes you could make this Christmas that could cost you as much as £5,000 in fines.”
If in doubt, check your local Council’s website, or talk with the experts. That’s us!
You can contact us using the details here.