Bank your recyclables this long weekend

The collection scheduled for Friday 30 August will take place on Saturday 31 August.

The schedule returns to normal on Monday 2 September.

Household bin collections across South Cambridgeshire and Cambridge City are carried out by the Greater Cambridge Shared Waste Service, a partnership between South Cambridgeshire District and Cambridge City Councils.

Cllr Bill Handley, South Cambridgeshire District Council's Lead Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Licensing, said: “While enjoying the summer weather during the long weekend, I hope everyone will think about recycling and how they can play their part in reducing the amount of waste that goes to landfill. About two thirds of all the items we put into black bins are recyclable. A great deal of it is food waste and we’re still finding paper too and both can be easily recycled. Cooked or uncooked food waste should go into your green bin, while paper should be put in your blue bin. One of the biggest problems at the recycling plant is where material is contaminated by residues of food, which can render it useless, so please make sure everything you put in your blue bin is as clean as possible. Empty containers and rinse them out so that liquid and leftover food cannot leak onto other recycling, spoiling it so that it must go to landfill instead. If you don’t recycle, or you put the wrong things into your recycling bins, council tax-payer’s money has to be used to remove and dispose of it. Our actions can make a real difference; we can help to produce a potentially valuable recyclable resource, or valueless waste that has to go to landfill.”

Cllr Rosy Moore, Cambridge City Council’s Executive Councillor for Climate Change, Environment and City Centre, said: “September is nearly here, and it’s filled with events to raise awareness about how much waste we create as a society – and how we can cut it down. During Zero Waste Week from 2 to 6 September, why not pledge to try and waste less? Also, Recycle Week from 23 to 29 September highlights that how much we all recycle really is in our own hands. Also, watch out for Oxfam’s Second Hand September which encourages people to pledge not to buy any new clothes for 30 days. A shocking 11 million items of clothing end up in landfill in the UK every single week. Everything we can do to cut down on the amount of waste we generate helps create a greener, cleaner Greater Cambridge.”

More information about bin collections and waste and recycling services can be found at www.scambs.gov.uk/recycling for South Cambridgeshire residents or www.cambridge.gov.uk/recycling for those living in Cambridge.

For Milton and Thriplow Household Recycling Centre opening hours, visit www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/waste-and-recycling/household-recycling-centres