Have fun in the sun...Rest, Relax and Recycle!

Veolia and Sheffield City Council can be found out and about this summer asking residents across the city to ‘wise up to waste’ over the holidays by following the‘5R’s of Summer’ – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle…with an added touch of Rest and Relaxation.

Summer is a time for barbeques, picnics, fun and games in the garden and holiday treats. All this fun in the sun and extra time spent at home can lead to the creation of extra waste! So, Veolia‘s Waste Awareness Team will be taking a ‘Recycling Road Trip’ around the city in their Recycling Information Unit to share their top tips on how to be waste wise this Summer (and all year round). The team will be found spreading the word at the following events/venues:

  • Lowedges Festival, Green Hill Park - 10th August,
  • Angel Street, City Centre - 16th August
  • Wybourn Funday, Boundary Road, Wybourn - 20th August
  • Sheffield Fayre, Norfolk Park - 24th/25th August    
  •  Barkers Pool, City Centre - 27th August

Fun recycling activities on offer for all the family include a ‘Recycling Lucky Dip’ and ‘Let’s Recycle’ sorting game. There will be lots of goodies to be won including the chance to win a compost bin at each event, free seeds, ‘Waste Wise’ activity sheets and a free goody bag for everyone who talks to the team.

Councillor Jack Scott, Cabinet Member for Environment, Recycling and Streetscene said: “Already people in Sheffield are recycling more than ever before – including cans, plastics, card and paper. At our summer recycling events people can learn even more about being ‘waste wise’ over the summer, when more waste is created from barbeques, summer gatherings or simply from being at home more. I am encouraging more and more people to recycle at home or use a local recycling site over the summer months”.

Veolia’s top tips for a ‘waste wise’ Summer!

• Planning a barbeque or picnic in the park? Make it ‘waste free’ by using reusable plates, cups, napkins and cutlery; prepare food from scratch to avoid packaging waste or choose items with as little packaging as possible.
• Avoid buying lots of ready to drink refreshments in bottles, cans or cartons. Instead, fill a reusable bottle with water or dilute your favourite concentrated cordial - it’s much cheaper too! 
• ‘I’m bored!’ If this is a common saying in your house during the holidays help the kids get creative with waste! Turn plastic bottles into skittles, go mini beast hunting with an old jam jar or grow seeds in old yoghurt pots!
• Treat your Blue Bin and Blue Box this summer to all of your recycling! Feed them your plastic bottles e.g. sun lotion bottles; tins and cans; glass bottles and jars; paper and card e.g. old holiday brochures, postcards and hay fever tablet boxes!  
• Have you had a wardrobe clear out of all those summer clothes you no longer want from last season? Take a trip to the charity shop or a textile bank at your local Recycling Site.
• Recycle your garden waste over the summer in a home compost bin, take to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre or sign up to our chargeable Garden Waste Collection Service.

For more information about your Waste and Recycling Services, please call: 0114 273 4567, visit www.veolia.co.uk/sheffield or follow us on Twitter @recycle4shef.