Residents across Cornwall are being urged to recycle more by sorting their items before they set off to visit their local household waste and recycling centre (HWRC).
Analysis of waste at Cornwall’s HWRCs found that an average of 22.4% of items disposed of in the general waste container could have been recycled using the fortnightly household recycling service, or placed in more suitable containers at the sites.
Various materials including metal, cardboard, clothing and unwanted or broken electricals, can be recycled in dedicated containers at Cornwall’s HWRCs. Old batteries, which can cause fires if they are put with general waste, can also be recycled at the sites. See more about what items can be recycled at each HWRC on the Cornwall Council website.
Councillor Carol Mould, portfolio holder for Neighbourhoods at Cornwall Council, said: “Everyone needs to play their part and dispose of the things they no longer want responsibly. That may mean giving things to others or donating them to charity shops.
“For unwanted goods that cannot be reused, we ask that people sort them before they arrive at their local HWRC and put them in the correct containers. This means we can recycle more.”
Get your items sorted before you set off for your local HWRC
If you are unsure about what container to put your items in, please speak to one of the on-site team at your local recycling centre.
The number plate entry system which was used to limit the number of visitors at the recycling centres during busy periods in the pandemic is no longer in use. Visitors to Cornwall’s HWRCs are encouraged to maintain social distancing where possible.
Household rubbish collected from homes in Cornwall or taken to the HWRCs that cannot be recycled is processed at the Cornwall Energy Recovery Centre (CERC).
Find out more about what items can be recycled in your household collections or at your local HWRC on the Cornwall Council website.
Press release issued on October 8, 2021
