Within Wales alone, 725,000 plastic water bottles are used each day, but only 50% of these ends up in the recycling bin rather than the rubbish. Across the wider UK, recycling helps towards saving 10-15 million tonnes of carbon emissions a year, and recycling aluminum cans alone can save up to 95% of the energy required to make new cans from raw material.*

Councils across Wales now have various recycling initiatives, including plastic, metal and cardboard recycling, and food waste bins. If you don’t currently recycle, or are looking to recycle more, here’s a few simple suggestions on becoming a more environmentally friendly household –

• • Paper recycling applies to more than only newspapers and cardboard. Envelopes, greeting cards, magazines, some wrapping paper materials and drinks cartons can all be added into your paper recycling bin

• • Plastic Waste – plastic’s from around the whole house can be recycled, from sauce bottles in the kitchen, to shampoo bottles in the bathroom.

• • Avoid using new plastic bags for every shopping trip, choose a Bag or Life or even a fabric bag for maximum re-use

• • Metal recycling can include tin foil, cans, and aerosols

• • Don’t let your food go to waste – use left over’s as tomorrow’s lunch meal, and if you need to dispose of food, use the green food waste bins which the council can collect alongside your normal recycling waste

• • If you’re a big fan of your café bought coffee, swap the single use paper cups for a re-useable travel cup

• • Go electronic in the workplace – avoid printing paper documents, and send electronic copies via email instead

• • De-register for junk mail in the post, or sign up to receive newsletters and offer via email instead

• • Buy fresh fruit and vegetables that do not come in plastic packaging – instead, buy plastic-less and rinse food before consumption.

• • Harvest your rain water over the Winter to use to water the garden in the Summer

Do you have any particuklar tips that we haven’t mentioned? How do you recycle within your home? Let us know, and we’ll share to fellow Llanmoor residents!

For further details on recycling in your area, visit your local councils’ website!

*Data from https://www.recycleforwales.org.uk/why-recycle