Around Ealing Summer 2016 | Page 31

RECYCLING Banned: The usual suspects ✘ These items SHOULD NOT be thrown into the blue recycling bin but are the most typical ‘contaminants’ chucked in mistakenly. Nappies ✘ ✘ Polystyrene The new collection system means the way recycling is sorted after collection has also had to change because everything is mixed-in together. Once the recycling truck has swallowed up the contents of your blue wheelie bin, it will be whisked away to south London, to a huge sorting facility for recycling. Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for transport, environment and leisure, said: “We want people to recycle as much as they can; it’s good for the environment and for our finances. That is why we are changing the system to make it easier. “The new system of mixed recycling is thoroughly tried and tested elsewhere and it makes it Crisp packets and sweet wrappers Food waste ✘ ✘ ✘ Crockery, pyrex, drinking glasses easier for residents, because they don’t have to sort different types of materials themselves. Instead, amazing technology does all the work for us. “Some people see all of the recycling going into one bin and assume that it’s all getting thrown away with the rubbish. But it is simply not the case. Recycling has actually increased wherever this system has been introduced in London. “The council is financially penalised every time it throws rubbish away so it just wouldn’t make any sense anyway, especially given the current financial pressures that we are facing.” For more information visit www.ealing.gov.uk/recycling or facebook.com/ealingrecycling ✘ Carrier bags and cling film WASH AND SQUASH ■ Please rinse out containers (food residue causes problems) ■ Please take off any lids (but still recycle them if they are plastic) ■ Please squash down any boxes or plastic bottles. TEXTILES AND BATTERIES The council will still collect these for recycling but they must not be placed in the blue wheelie bin. Instead, put them in a separate carrier bag on top of your recycling bin and they will be taken. around ealing Summer 2016 31