Here are a few examples of lifestyle changes you could make to save on waste:
- Get a sturdy shopping bag, or reuse supermarket carrier bags.
- Don't use cling film or kitchen foil to store food. Put it in reusable boxes with lids or re use margarine tubs and other containers.
- Buy loose rather than prepacked fruit and vegetables - but only buy what you can use.
- Nappies - about 800,000 tonnes of nappies are disposed of every year, costing local authorities millions.
- Real nappies now use Velcro fastenings - there are no pins required, and many areas have a nappy laundering service. Contact the Real Nappy Campaign (External link) for advice.
- Don't bin garden waste: If you have a green bin, you can use that for fortnightly collection of garden materials (please don't include food or plastics). Alternatively, you can compost at home with a specially priced home composter. Ring 0845 077 0757 to order or request one online at our partner's website, Recycle Now (External link).
- Don't forget that aerosols can be recycled too - they account for 4% of all metals used in the UK each year and you can just drop empty aerosols into any can bank or in your brown bin at home if you have one.
Use the 6 "Rs"
- Refuse extra carrier bags if you don't need them and re-use those that you have.
- Refill. Buy refill packs for detergents and save the original container.
- Repair items whenever possible to extend their useful life.
- Return all glass milk bottles to your milkman, they can be refilled many times then recycled into new bottles.
- Re use cardboard boxes, plastic bags, bottles, books, toys and furniture to save energy, raw materials and cost. And f you cannot re use them…
- Recycle. If you have minimised your waste as much as you can, try to recycle and compost what is left. This saves raw materials and energy, reduces global warming and habitat destruction. If you have recycled as much as you can…then you can bin the rest for disposal at landfill.
Typical amounts of waste in a borough residents' wheelie bin:
The waste management team carried out a survey of the contents of an average black wheelie bin. The study was conducted in the winter months. In the summer, we would expect to see much more garden material.
- 5% Garden waste
- 29% Kitchen waste
- 27% Paper and cardboard
- 8% Glass
- 1% Wood
- 3% Nappies
- 2% Scrap metal and white goods
- 7% Dense plastic
- 4% Plastic film
- 1% Textiles
- 3% Metal packaging
- 10% General household sweepings
What can you easily recycle from this list?
Slim Your Bin!
- Flatten boxes, plastic bottles and cartons to minimise transport needs and maximise landfill space.
- If you have a garden, use the green bin service or start home composting - contact Wigan Council's Recycling Officer for advice on getting a home composter kit or visit Recycle Now (External link) website to order online.
- Avoid buying packaged and over packaged products when possible.
- Reduce what you buy or throw away - and remember that there's a collection from your home for paper. It's every fortnight on the same day as bin day. Newspapers, magazines, office paper and catalogues can all be put in your sack.
- Bulk buy what you can to save money and help reduce overall packaging, but don't cause product wastage by buying more than you can use.
Recycling Points
As well as the council's Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs), there are now over 170 multi-material "bring" recycling centres in the borough. They are at handy locations like supermarkets, schools, public houses and clubs, within a mile of most people's homes.
These sites have facilities for recycling paper, glass bottles and jars, foil, drinks and food cans. Many sites have banks for 'Tetrapak' beverage cartons, textiles, shoes and books for a number of charities.
You can take old phone books and yellow pages to kerbside recycling points boroughwide (but not the Wigan Asda site). They are also accepted at all public libraries and some post offices.
Please respect the neighbours around the roadside recycling points - keep them free from litter and don't use them late in the evenings.
The Recycling Bank Code
- Please be considerate to nearby residents and use the recycling banks between 8.00am and 8.00pm only.
- Use the bins provided and take empty boxes and bags home.
- Don't leave boxes and bags of recyclables beside the recycling banks. This may be treated as rubbish and can attract other fly-tipping.
- Try to combine trips to the recycling banks with other journeys as this saves on transport costs, the environment and your pocket.
