Today marks the start of the UK-wide Recycle Week campaign (16 – 22 Oct) and residents in Sandwell are being encouraged to recycle as much as possible and use the grey household waste bin less.
Sandwell Council and waste partner Serco are asking residents to ‘Slim Your Bin’ with five simple steps which will reduce the amount of rubbish that ends up in the household waste bin.
The first is to recycle as much as possible in the blue-lid recycling bin. A lot of everyday items can be placed in the blue-lid recycling bin, such as plastic bottles and tubs, glass bottles and jars, drink cans and tins plus paper and card. Recyclable items often overlooked are aerosols, foil, shampoo bottles and cleaning spray bottles.
The second step is to reduce the amount of edible food waste thrown away and use the food waste bin for any unavoidable food waste which is collected for free every week. Residents who don’t currently receive free weekly food waste collections can sign up online. The food waste is used to generate energy and turned into compost.
The third tip is to pass on unwanted items that are still in good condition, which will prevent them being thrown away in the bin. Online marketplaces, car boot sales and local charity shops are just a few of the ways reusable items can be offered to others.
Residents who have large items in good condition can get in touch with our charity partner, CT Furniture, who can collect items free of charge to sell on to others.
Step four is to make use of the recycling facilities at the tip. There are many things that can be recycled at the tip in Oldbury, including electricals, carpets, clothing, wood, batteries, light bulbs and sheet glass. The site is open every day from 8am-4pm (Oct-May) and residents must book a slot before visiting.
Finally, the garden waste collection service offers a kerbside collection of green waste. The service carries a £35 charge and subscriptions for 2024 will open soon. The waste collected in the green bin is turned into compost.
Sandwell Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Highways, Councillor Danny Millard, said:
“Recycling is now firmly on the national agenda and people have become more aware of what they use and the impact it has on the environment.
“Recycling really matters and makes a big difference on reducing the amount of raw materials needed to make new products.
“We want to highlight the benefits of recycling the right items and encourage residents to check that they are recycling and reusing all that they can.
“I do hope people will take up the Slim Your Bin challenge during Recycling Week and think about the waste they create and how they can reduce it for the benefit of our environment.”
Residents are invited to come along to locations across the borough during Recycle Week where advisors will be available for residents to ask questions about waste and recycling.
They will be at the following locations on the below dates and times:
Monday - New Square Shopping Centre, West Bromwich, B70 7PR at 10-3pm
Tuesday - Oldbury Library, Sandwell Council House, Freeth Street, B69 3DE at 10-3pm
Wednesday - Brasshouse Lane Community Centre, Brasshouse Lane, B66 1BA at 10-3pm
Thursday – Morrisons, Wednesbury at 10-3pm
Friday - Bangladeshi Women’s Association, Wellington Road, Tipton, DY4 8RS at 10-1pm
Residents can follow Sandwell Council Facebook, Twitter and Instagram during the week for recycling reminders, plus a live Q&A session will be held on Facebook on Thursday 19 October at 11am. Residents are encouraged to ask the team questions on what and can’t be recycled.
Residents can also test their recycling knowledge with our Slim Your Bin Quiz
More information on waste and recycling in Sandwell can be found online