Get our top tips for easy recycling

To mark International Recycling Day on 18 March, we bring you some easy eco tips for reducing, reusing and recycling. 

Bin there, done that

Kitchen bins with waste sorting compartments can be expensive. If you don’t have one, why not create your own at a fraction of the cost? Get hold of some cheap bins, or containers, and place them next to your normal kitchen bin. This way you can recycle as you throw away and save having to do lots of sorting later on. 

All about the space

When recycling items such as plastic bottles, cans and yoghurt pots, make sure you wash them out and then squash them to save space. You’ll be able to get much more in your recycle bins this way - and  avoid the temptation to tip recyclable rubbish in your general bin simply because it won’t fit into your recycle bin.

Greener spring clean

If you’re thinking of clearing out some old winter clothes, or baby clothes, to make space for a spring wardrobe, make sure your old clobber is put to good use. Some councils offer a textile collection service – check your local authority website to see whether yours does. If not, find out which charity shops are accepting clothes. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure!

Feed your flowers

Spring flowers are starting to bloom. As your garden reawakens after the harsh winter months, consider feeding your soil with homemade compost. This can be easily made with things you'd normally chuck away - such as raw fruit and vegetables, cardboard, grass cuttings and old flowers. You can buy affordable compost bins here to help you make enough compost to feed your garden all year round. 

Shop and drop

Many supermarkets now have collection points for recycling soft plastics such as the clear film used to wrap meat and fish, crisp packets, fruit and veg bags and sweet wrappers. Most councils wont recycle these items so they would otherwise be thrown away. Get into the routine of taking these items with you and dropping them off when you do your weekly shops. Once you’re in a routine, it will become second nature.

Happy International Recycling Day!