Nottinghamshire residents are now able to recycle plastic bottle top lids (the bottles must be clean and squashed with the lid then put back on) in their kerbside recycling bins.
The service enhancement came in after approval from Nottinghamshire County Council’s Transport and Environment Committee. Previously, residents were asked to remove bottle tops and place them in their general waste bin.
Councillor Neil Clarke MBE, Chairman of Transport and Environment Committee said: “We’re committed to increasing the quantity and quality of material collected in the kerbside recycling and the decision to make the necessary updates to the equipment at our sorting facility in Mansfield to accept bottle tops is welcomed and a step in the right direction.
“We know our residents are keen recyclers and we’re working hard with our waste contractors, Veolia, to increase recycling options on a local level. A key part of this is identifying improvements to the county’s Materials Recovery Facility to allow us to collect additional materials kerbside and enhance the recycling service for residents across the county.”
“The County Council will continue to work closely with Veolia to ensure opportunities from the Governments Resources and Waste Strategy for England 2018 and the Environment Act, which includes proposals of consistent collections of recyclable materials across England in a bid to improve recycling rates, are maximised and that legislative requirements are met to help make recycling easier for residents across Nottinghamshire.”
Residents are advised to wash, squash and place the bottle top back on to the plastic bottle before popping them in their kerbside recycling bin, to allow the capture of as many lids as possible. Communication materials will be updated over time to reflect this change.
Councillor Clarke added: “We are committed to support and encourage residents to recycle right and take small steps to be more environmentally friendly, Nottinghamshire Recycles has a wealth of information and resources for residents.
Lea Hawkes, General Manager at Veolia, said: “We have worked hard to adjust the mechanics at our Mansfield Materials Recovery Facility, to enable Nottinghamshire Residents to recycle more at the kerbside with the inclusion of plastic bottle tops.
“It’s important to make sure that the bottle is empty, squashed and the lid is back on top before you put it in your bin so that we can capture as many as possible during the sorting process. Small changes can make a big difference in helping to protect the environment and preserve valuable resources.”
To find out more visit www.veolia.co.uk/nottinghamshire/recycling/nottinghamshire-recycles.