Did you know that if the wrong items are put into a recycling bin, it could mean the whole truckload isn’t recycled?
We want to recycle as much as possible, which is why Amey’s bin collection crews are trained to spot when a recycling bin has the wrong items in. If it does, the crew won’t empty the bin and will attach a tag to it explaining why and what to do about it.
If you’re unsure what can go in your recycling bin, it’s quick and easy to find out. Use our online search tool to find out what to do with the item you are throwing away. You can also download the tool as an app on your phone for easy checking as you throw. Search for ‘Surrey Recycles’ in the Apple App or Google Play stores.
So why does putting a few items that can’t be recycled in your recycling bin have such consequences? It is difficult to remove items that aren’t recyclable once the load is being processed, which means the quality of the end product is too low to meet the recycling criteria. In other cases, contaminating items can damage good quality recycling e.g. food can spill onto paper, making it impossible to recycle.
In Elmbridge, Mole Valley, Surrey Heath and Woking, 85% of recycling bins emptied are recycled. We’d like to thank our residents for doing a great job and hope that we can work together to recycle even more!