The third of the three R’s is Recycle.
When we say recycling, it means to break down an item and to make something new from the materials.
Processing these materials still requires time, energy and cost, therefore an item should ideally only be sent for recycling if there is no other way that it can be reused or repaired. It is the last term on the list because it is in fact the least useful of the three ways of reducing your impact on the planet, however it is still vastly better than sending waste to landfill.
Some examples of recycling are:-
- Textiles such as clothing and bedding which are in such poor condition that they cannot be used or mended can be used to make cleaning rags, or for filling furniture.
- Waste paper can be pulped and used to make new pieces of paper.
- Plastics can be melted down and made into new plastic items.
- Electrical items can be broken down and the metal components melted down to make a new item (this is particularly important in the recycling of mobile phones as they contain small amounts of rare and valuable metals.) The plastic casings can also be recycled.
- Glass can be melted down and made into new glass items.
- How you dispose of an item depends what local recycling facilities there are where you live. Here is how to recycle many common household items.
Your local authority (Boston Borough Council) has a legal duty under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to collect household waste.
Waste that is not recycled is collected on a fortnightly basis on set days for your area. Waste that is recycled is also collected fortnightly on the same day but alterative week.
Visit www.mybostonuk/waste for recyclable items and bin information in Boston.