New items in blue bin

Limavady Borough Council has been operating a Blue Bin Dry Recyclable Collection for the past six years.

In this time more than 24,000 tonnes of material has been collected for recycling. The past number of years has seen a steady increase in the recycling rate from 19.7 per cent in 2005/06 to around 34 per cent at present.

This significant increase is the result of all the hard work and dedication shown by both, residents of the borough, and council employees, in promoting and participating in good waste management activities and environmental protection.

In response to public requests for a greater range of collectable materials in the blue dry recyclable bin the following are now acceptable.

Aerosol cans – but these should be empty.

Tetra (cardboard beverage packaging) – but these should be empty and rinsed.

Plastic containers - such as yogurt pots, margarine tubs, fruit punnets etc. and these should be empty and clean.

Small and hand held electrical items – such as toasters, hairdryers, kitchen knives. Although it is preferable to recycle these electrical items at the Recycling Centre, it is better placing them in the blue bin than in the black land-fill bin.

Textiles – including trousers, shirts, shoes etc. Again it is preferable that these are deposited in the textile collection banks throughout the borough but if this is not possible, these should go in the blue bin rather than the black land-fill bin.

For those new to the area, here is a list of items already collected in the blue bin: Paper - newspaper, magazines, telephone directories, leaflets. No envelopes or shredded paper, All card and cardboard – which should be flattened when possible, Plastic bottles – these should be empty and rinsed, Food and drinks cans - steel and aluminium.

Collecting more materials in the blue bins benefits the whole community as it reduces the amount collected in black bins which in turn reduces the amount of land-fill. Recycling is good for the environment and also saves money.

All residents and commercial businesses will soon receive the Roe Resource Review. This is a new booklet produced by council to provide information on how materials commonly called 'waste' are in fact useful resources.

Even though we may not have a use for these resources ourselves, they do have inherent value and can be put to further use by others. The booklet also highlights in detail the work done by council to collect and contain the materials which accumulate in the borough as 'waste'.

For further information or clarification contact the Technical Services Department of Limavady Borough Council on 02877760305.