On Day 10 of our Christmas calendar, we are celebrating the 36,000 tonnes recycled at the county’s Household Waste Centres.
Warwickshire residents achieved an extraordinary recycling milestone for the most recent year that figures are available, with material collected at the county’s nine Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) weighing the equivalent of 14 Blackpool Towers or a large cargo ship.
Over the course of 19,000 opening hours, Warwickshire’s nine Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) welcomed nearly 1.5 million visitors and diverted an impressive 36,000 tonnes of material from landfill, helping to create a more sustainable county.
Thanks to these recycling efforts, thousands of tonnes of materials have been given a new lease of life, including: 10,500 tonnes of wood; 8,000 tonnes of rubble; 6,500 tonnes of green waste; 2,900 tonnes of cardboard; 2,800 tonnes of scrap metal; and 2,300 tonnes of electricals.
In addition, charity shops operated by Age UK at eight of the centres have sold 1,000 tonnes of reusable items that would otherwise have gone to landfill. These sales not only reduce waste but also raise vital funds to support Age UK’s work with older people across Warwickshire.
Alongside these achievements, the Council is also making it easier for residents to access recycling facilities. To encourage even more people to use the centres, the booking requirement has been temporarily removed. This six-month trial aims to improve convenience and will be closely monitored, with data gathered on visitor numbers, queuing times, customer satisfaction, and operational impacts. At the end of the trial, the Council will review the results to decide whether the booking system should be permanently removed or reinstated.
Cllr Darren Cheshire, Portfolio Holder for Environment, Heritage and Culture, said:
"This is an excellent performance, and we are truly grateful to our residents for their commitment to recycling. By reusing materials and diverting waste from landfill, they are helping to preserve the planet’s resources and protect our environment. It’s been a tremendous effort from both staff and customers. Importantly, reducing landfill also saves money for the Council, and for Warwickshire residents by avoiding landfill tax, which currently stands at £126.15 per tonne."
Household waste in Warwickshire is recycled, sorted, processed, and transformed into new products that go back into everyday life. More detail on the journey of waste products can be found at ‘Warwickshire – Where Does My Recycling Go?’
We’ll see you tomorrow for day 11 of our Christmas countdown calendar!
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