Recycle more

Recycle more...

Help us to ‘Recycle more…’, send less to landfill and reach our zero carbon targets!

Recycle more… aims to encourage residents and businesses in our district to recycle more materials, more often. Together we can reach our goal of a 50% recycling rate with our Recycle more... plan.

The journey so far...

• 13,000 households are trialling recycling collections of plastic bags and wrapping through the Flexible Plastics Fund FlexCollect project. We've collected over 20 tonnes of material since March!
• In 2024-25 so far, we've engaged face to face with 1400 residents through 29 community talks, primary school assemblies, youth groups and events.
• A weekly food waste collection trial is running with 4000 households in Coalville, Ravenstone, Whitwick, parts of Measham and surrounding villages. We've collected over 870 tonnes of food waste so far which has been recycled into biogas and a bio-fertiliser. Find out more.
• 500 households have been trialling two different recycling trollies in an attempt to make recycling easier and more convenient. You can read about the first recycling trolley trial on our news page, and our second trial further below. One of the trollies has been included as an option to replace the recycling boxes and bags in our Waste Services review.
• Our Recycle more... project was one of just three finalists in the 2021 awards for Excellence in Recycling and Waste Management! We entered into the highly contested 'Best Local Authority Recycling Initiative' category. 
• Awareness is being raised about what can and can’t be recycled, where it goes and the consequences of not recycling. We've been doing this through social media, leaflets, school assemblies and community talks.
• A kerbside collection of batteries and old mobile phones was introduced for residents in December 2019
• Around 43,000 crisp packets were collected at the council offices and recycled through a TerraCycle scheme
• Primary school pupils in the district took part in a competition to name our recycling lorries. Read more below.

What’s next?

We're carrying out a review of the waste service, which will shape the future of Recycle More and how we encourage residents to reduce, reuse and recycle more. Find out more.

Recycling trolley trials

500 volunteers across the district have been trialling two different recycling trollies as a possible alternative to the current box and bag system.

We were the first council in the UK to trial a new recycling trolley that is similar to the wheelie bin, but with drawers for different materials.

Since launching the trial, and following feedback from volunteers and waste collection operatives, the manufacturer has recognised that significant improvements are required to the trolley - particularly to the wheels and it's general robustness.

Unfortunately, the manufacturer has decided these improvements are not financially practical and will no longer manufacture the recycling trolley with drawers.

While the trolley won't be rolled out further, volunteers can still continue to use it, and our team will continue to replace parts while they are still available. If volunteers would like to return the trolley, they can let us know by emailing recycling@nwleicestershire.gov.uk and we will arrange for it to be collected.

The stackable trolley is being considered as an option to replace the boxes and bags in our Waste Services Review.

Bindiana Jones… Recyclosaurus Rex… Meet our recycling lorries

Back in 2020 we invited local primary schools to take part in a competition to name six of our recycling lorries. To enter, each pupil had to colour in an image of a recycling lorry and give it a name.

After receiving more than 300 entries and lots of fantastic names, we had to pick just six winners. The winning names are:

• Riley the Recycler – Daniel Mander, age 9, Ibstock Junior School
• Bindiana Jones – Alfie Stewart, age 10, Orchard Community Primary School (Castle Donington)
• Recycle Rockstar – Amelia, Diseworth C of E Primary School
• Recycling Rita – Lalana Oldershaw-Gillan, age 10, St Charles' Catholic Primary School (Measham)
• Recyclosaurus Rex – Bailey Dutton, age 5, Ashby Hill Top Primary School
• Captain Recycle – Esme Pellecchia, age 10, Ashby Willesley Primary School

The recycling lorries display the winning names on the cab doors and on the back of the vehicles. Keep an eye out to see them collecting your separated glass, plastic/cans/tins, paper, textiles, batteries and mobile phones!

Let's create a greener and more sustainable district for everyone. Take a look at the related documents below to see how we plan to achieve this, and let us know how we can help you Recycle more...