Residents are a real glass act!

We are all being encouraged to boost recycling by putting our empty and rinsed out glass bottles and jars in our blue bins.

Due to new optical separation technology at the Glassdon recycling plant in Toomebridge – where Coleraine Borough’s blue bin contents go for sorting - residents of the Borough can recycle even more rubbish easily and conveniently from home.

Fiona Watters, Waste & Recycling Officer, with Coleraine Council explained, “The public has responded very positively and people are telling us how easy and convenient it is to recycle all colours of glass bottles and jars in their blue bins.

“Blue bins accept all glass bottles including wine bottles, beer bottles, spirit bottles, jam jars, coffee jars, sauce bottles, sauce jars and medicine bottles. All we ask is that glass bottles and jars are empty and rinsed out. Lids can be left on. Broken bottles and jars are also acceptable in blue bins.”

Council is keen to point out that some types of glass should NOT go into the blue bin.

Glass that should not go into the blue bin includes Pyrex, cookware, plate glass, ceramics, pottery, windows, cups, saucers, plates, spectacles, lenses and crystal.

Fiona added: “Glass collected in Coleraine Borough Council’s blue bins goes back to re-melt to be made into new glass bottles and jars.

“Now that we can all easily recycle glass from home, we hope that our recycling rate will increase by around five percent – it’s a little early to tell just yet but we are hopeful our recycling rate will rise to around forty two percent. My thanks go to everyone for recycling their rubbish. Each and every item of rubbish we recycle helps our environment.”

Coleraine Borough Council blue bins accept: glass bottles and jars, small electrical items (up to the size of a toaster), paper (not shredded), card, cardboard, juice cartons, food tins, drink cans, empty aerosol tins, plastic bottles, plastic food containers and textiles (please give a charity shop first choice).

Blue bins do not take: food, shredded paper, nappies, tissues, plastic bags, hard-backed books, Pyrex, windows, crockery, lenses or crystal.

For further information on recycling in Coleraine Borough Council area, please go to www.colerainebc.gov.uk/recycle or phone the Recycling Helpline, Environmental Services on 028 7034 7272.