A new scheme from 1 April 2004
means that household batteries can now be recycled in Hampshire for the
first time. They are classed as hazardous waste, so can be collected at
the eleven HWRCs in the county licensed to take hazardous household waste
(see the 'Dispose
of it safely' leaflet for details). On arrival at a site, please
ask site staff to direct you to the red wheel bin where the batteries will
be collected. All types of household batteries are accepted, as long as
they have not started to corrode and leak fluid.
Other plastics
Sadly, there are currently no markets in the UK for recycling any plastics apart
from bottles. Items like margarine tubs and yoghurt pots cannot be collected in your
kerbside collection. They can be re-used though, and, for example, make ideal plant pots
for seedlings or painting pots for young children.
Glass banks
Please only ever use glass banks for bottles and jars. Do not use them
to dispose of drinking glasses, ‘Pyrex’, ceramics, mirrors or light
bulbs. One false object in a recycling bank can contaminate the whole
collection, possibly forcing the contents of that bank to be landfilled instead. In
most cases, glasses, ceramics and mirrors can be re-used (unless broken)
by passing them to the sales area at your local HWRC or a charity shop.
Blue bottles should be placed in the green compartment.
Yellow Pages
Yellow Pages directories are generally not welcomed in kerbside
recycling collections or recycling banks. The yellow dye can be difficult to remove at the paper mill, while as phone directories are
often more than 12 months old, the ink will have oxidised onto the paper, again
making it hard to remove.
Junk mail
There can be difficulties with placing junk mail in recycling bins. If
you ensure that any plastic coverings are disposed of first, then any
paper or leaflets inside can still be recycled. There is currently no
answer to the increasing problem of junk mail CDs. However envelopes, including
those with windows, can be placed in your recycling bin..
Aerosol cans
These are not the same as food or drinks cans, so should be disposed
of with your household refuse. Never squash or pierce them due to the
flammable contents.
Wood
Most HWRCs now have a bin for recycling wood, although
it cannot take painted or treated wood. Wood arising from green garden
waste can of course be composted.
Food wrappers
Although chocolate bar wrappers and crisp packets may say they are
"foil wrapped", it is not foil. This type of plastic cannot be
recycled. The ‘Scrunch’ test will help you – if it stays screwed up,
it’s foil, but if it opens back out again, it’s plastic.
Mobile phones / spectacles /
crockery
Most charity shops will take mobiles or spectacles where they are
given to third world countries. Charity shops will re-use old crockery
where appropriate – do not place crockery in bottle banks.
Fluorescent light tubes and compact
fluorescent lamps (CFLs)
From 1 April 2004, these will be accepted at the eleven HWRCs licensed
to accept hazardous household waste (see the 'Dispose
of it safely' leaflet for details). Fluorescent tubes are the long
thin bulbs that you might have in your kitchen or bathroom, while CFLs can
also be known as 'energy efficient light bulbs.' On arrival at a site,
please inform a member of site staff, who will direct you to the locked
containers.
Polystyrene packaging / sheet glass
/ Tetra-Pak cartons (orange juice cartons) / pens
Unfortunately, no known end markets for recycling these products exist
at present. Tetra-Pak cartons are difficult to recycle as they are a
mixture of plastic and paper, although a take-back scheme is available
from the one mill that can process them - please see http://www.drinkscartons.com/docs/recycling_uk.htm
for more details.
