Glass recycling from the comfort of your home

From 1 May this year, people across Plymouth will be able to recycle their glass from the comfort of their home as part of an ongoing package of measures to improve the city’s waste and recycling services.

Glass bottles and jars can be put in the green recycling bin or bag put out for our refuse collectors to pick up as part of their usual rounds.

The scheme kicks off on 1 May and is designed to make it more convenient and easier for people to do their bit to help the environment and keep the cost of getting rid of waste – and council tax – down.

The start date for the scheme was announced at today’s Cabinet by Councillor Brian Vincent, Cabinet member for the Environment.

He said: “I am delighted to be able to tell everyone that as soon as Viridor Waste Management take over the contract to build and operate our materials recycling facility, they will be able to take our household recycling with glass mixed in it – something our old plant has not been able to do.

“All people have to do is rinse out their jars and bottles and put them out with their recycling and our crews will do the rest.”

Over the next few months the existing MRF – where are all the city’s household recyclables are sorted – will be decommissioned and Plymouth’s collected recycling material transferred to another facility on a temporary basis while the new plant is being built.

The citywide doorstep glass recycling initiative is one of a number of changes on the horizon for the city’s waste and recycling collections. Later in the year there will be changes to rounds and collection days for some residents as part of a drive to make the service more efficient and to gear up for the start of the Energy from Waste operations.

The Council is also reminding everyone to do their bit to reduce the amount of waste generated, recycle more and not to put out extra black bags or other ‘side waste’ next to their bins, when recycling is so simple.