Recycling news, updates and articles

Recycle more this festive season

We often create more recycling and waste than usual during the festive season. The best thing we can do for the environment is to minimise the amount of waste we create in the first place - the Less Waste website has lots of great tips and advice to help. 

But when it comes to recycling, we have some useful information to help you recycle more over the festive season.

Wrapping paper

Please take care to recycle all brown wrapping paper in the yellow bag with your cardboard. All other wrapping paper can be recycled in the blue bag. 

Wrapping paper can only be recycled if:

• It doesn't contain glitter

• It passes the scrunch test.

The scrunch test

Scrunch up the waste wrapping paper in your hand - if it stays scrunched up then it can be recycled. Foil or plastic based wrapping paper which springs back and starts to unfold isn't recyclable. These type of wrapping will also be difficult to tear.

Extra recycling

If you have extra recycling such as plastics, tins, cans, foil and glass, please do not put it in plastic bags. Instead, use a reusable plastic container like a washing-up bowl or plastic storage box. Take care to always keep glass in a separate container to your plastics, cans, tins and foil.

Extra cardboard and brown paper should be flattened to 2ft x 2ft and left neatly bundled next to your yellow bag. You can also flatten it to this size and put it into cardboard boxes that are no bigger than a red box.

Extra paper can be put in a sturdy bag for life.

Recycling foil

Will you be enjoying roast turkey, nut roast or something else delicious in a foil dish or tray? If so, remember to give it a quick rinse and recycle it in your red box. All other types of foil can also be recycled if it's clean.

Christmas trees

We will collect your real Christmas tree so it can be turned into compost. Please put it inside your garden bin, not next to it. The bin lid should fully close so trees may need to be trimmed/cut in order to fit.

You can also take real Christmas trees to one of Leicestershire County Council’s Recycling and Household Waste Sites, or ask a local animal sanctuary if they are collecting Christmas trees.

St Giles Hospice can also collect real Christmas trees between Friday 10 January and Monday 13 January from DE12 and LE65 postcodes in return for a charity donation. Find out more and book a collection online by 10am on Tuesday 7 January.

Recycling batteries and mobile phones responsibly

Batteries and mobile phones should always be kept out of the black bin as they are a fire risk.

Used batteries and old mobile phones can be put in a lidded, recyclable container (such as a jam jar or plastic takeaway tub) and put out next to the red boxes for collection.

Jar lids, on or off?

Will you be enjoying some cranberry sauce or festive chutney over Christmas? Did you know you can recycle the plastic or metal lids? Simply unscrew the lid and put it in your red box with the rest of your plastic, cans and tins. The glass jar can be put with the rest of your glass recycling.

Christmas cards and envelopes

Christmas cards and brown envelopes can be recycled in the yellow bag. You can help make sure they are recycled by tearing off any glittery bits.

The rest of your envelopes can be recycled in the blue bag.

Electrical items

Small electrical items such as fairy lights and battery powered toys should always be kept out of the black bin. They can be taken to one of Leicestershire County Council’s Recycling and Household Waste Sites.

Please note over Christmas, extra bags of general waste left next to your black bin will not be collected. Instead, everyone will receive at least one extra black bin collection in place of a garden waste collection. Please refer to your collection calendar for further information.

Extra recycling? Help us to collect it with these tips...

Glass and plastic/cans/tins 

You can put extra red box recycling out in reusable plastic containers such as a washing up bowl or plastic storage boxes/baskets. Please make sure glass is always kept in a separate container to plastic/cans/tins/foil. 

You can also order extra red boxes online.

Unsure which items you can recycle? Find out here.

Cardboard

Extra cardboard which does not fit in the yellow bag should be flattened to no bigger than 2ft x 2ft and left next to the red boxes, weighed down if you can.

Please also remove any packaging such as polystyrene, plastic film/wrapping and any plastic straps. We can only collect clean cardboard (without any food left on it).

Additional yellow bags can also be ordered online.

Paper

If you regularly have more paper than will fit in your blue bag, you can order another blue bag. If you only occasionally have extra paper to recycle, please try to spread the amount you put out over a few collections.

Recycling put out in plastic bags will not be collected by our crews due to the issues they cause. Find out how plastic bags cause problems.

Garden waste

If you have more garden waste than will fit in your bin, please take a look at our tips and advice for disposing of extra garden waste.

Recycling collections in windy weather

If you have a recycling collection during windy conditions, you can help us to keep your neighbourhood tidy by doing the following:

• Fasten the velcro lids on your yellow and blue bags
• Put a lid on your red box
• Try not to overfill your red boxes - squeezing and squashing your plastic, cans and tins can help
• If possible, don't stack your red boxes.

These things help to stop your recycling from escaping and littering your neighbourhood.

If you need a new red box and/or lid please order one online or call 01530 454545 to request one.

We are very grateful to our residents who help to clear up any escaped recycling.

Recycling tips for a sustainable 'staycation'

As it gets warmer, a staycation is on the horizon for many of us. Why not make it a sustainable one?

Recycle Now have put together a handy article full of really useful tips to help you recycle more wherever you're planning to holiday in the UK. Take a look!

Renew or subscribe to the additional garden waste service

We provide one garden waste bin free of charge, but if this isn't enough for your gardening needs, you can pay for as many extra bins as you like.

The charge for 2024/25 is £57 per extra bin. This covers the fortnightly emptying of an extra garden waste bin from 1 June 2024 to 31 May 2025.

Sign up or renew for 2024/25

Bin crew staff needed

Can you work as a casual waste crew member?

• All training and equipment provided
• Must be fit and able to walk long distances
• £11.41 - £14.74 per hour (depending on role)

If you can fill one of these casual roles, please get in touch: mick.hughes@nwleicestershire.gov.uk

Saving money whilst reducing waste - a win for your wallet and the environment

It can sometimes feel like making an eco-friendly choice just isn’t affordable – especially at a time when many are feeling financially stretched. But there are still plenty of changes we can make that not only result in less waste, but they can save you money too!

Save energy and money 

• Use LED bulbs – Each LED used in your home can make a lifetime saving of £180
• Turn down your wash – Washing at lower temperatures will help reduce energy use and is better for your clothes
• Defrost your freezer – A defrosted freezer costs around £150 less a year to run.

Repair it

It’s usually cheaper to repair a broken appliance than to buy a new one – especially if you can learn to fix it yourself.

There are a few groups around Leicestershire that can support you in repairing items.

• The repair bench (Coalville)
• Men in Sheds (Coalville)
• Leicester Fixers (Across Leicestershire)
• The Tech Shack (Coalville)

A good rule of thumb is to avoid spending more than 50% of the cost of a new product on repairing an old one. Otherwise it might be more cost-effective to replace the broken item!

Reuse it

Carrying a reusable water bottle not only saves the need to buy single-use plastic bottles of water, but you can have it filled up for free! Use the Refill app when out and about to check where your nearest refill point is, or just pop into the closest café or pub and ask them to fill up your bottle.

Reduce food waste 

The average family of four can save just over £60 per month by reducing their food waste, so it’s kind to our bank accounts as well as the planet.

Creating a meal plan, writing a shopping list, doing one big shop and then sticking to the meal plan really helps to only buy what you need and make sure it is all used up.

Keep an eye out for the discount shelves which display items that have reached their ‘use by’ date. Many of the items on these shelves are sold at a reduced price and can be put straight in the freezer for use at a later date.

Heading on holiday soon? In Britain we throw away £500 million worth of edible food before we go on holiday each year. From checking your freezer to making a homecoming meal, this ‘Traveller’s check’  has some great tips to help you stop good food from going to waste. 

Love Food Hate Waste have lots more tips for wasting less food whilst saving money.

Try real nappies 

Gone are the days of terry squares and soaking… converting to ‘real’ reusable nappies from disposables can make a big difference to the amount of rubbish families with young children generate.

On average, a baby uses between 5,000 and 7,000 disposable nappies over a 2.5 year period. And this can cost between £735 - £1,211 but a switch to reusable nappies can save up to £600!

Even a switch to only using reusable nappies when at home, and then disposables when out and about could make such a difference to your bank account and the environment.

Find out more about making a switch to reusable nappies.