South Cambridgeshire District Council reckons a cardboard motorway stretching to Lapland and back could be made with all the extra card packaging in Cambridgeshire this festive season.

Councillors are urging local people not to let recyclables slip into their black bins this Christmas as Cambridge City and SCDCs’ kerbside wheelie bin collections accept more items than most others in the country.

Around 20% of the yearly sales for many shops are made at Christmas time – which means masses of extra paper and card is collected that can be recycled in blue bins.  This is increased by the packaging from online shopping.

South Cambridgeshire residents are being reminded that additional blue bin recycling can be placed in a returnable container or cardboard box next to blue bins when they are scheduled for collection.

Local people are also being urged to pack their green bin this Christmas as all food leftovers and real Christmas trees are accepted.  Real Christmas trees must be cut up so the lid on the green bin closes.

Cambridge City Council has also teamed up with the Arthur Rank Hospice and Just Helping for the second time to collect Christmas trees from homes while raising money for the hospice.

Trees will be collected for a donation on 6 and 7 January.  This service needs to be booked on the Arthur Rank Hospice’s website at www.arhc.org.uk/treerecycling.  Last year just under £3,000 was raised by collecting over 400 Christmas trees.

Cllr Mark Howell, SCDC’s cabinet member for Environmental Services, said: “With so much happening at Christmas, it’s a good opportunity to take a breath and consider how we can maximise our recycling efforts.

"By recycling just one extra glossy magazine it saves enough energy to boil a kettle nine times.  Imagine the potential if we all do this and much more this Christmas.”

Real Christmas trees can also be taken to Cherry Hinton Hall car park after Christmas until 20 January, or to the recycling centres near Milton and Thriplow.

For more information about:

• SCDC bin collection dates and what goes in which bins: www.scambs.gov.uk/services/bins.
• For more re-use and recycling tips: www.RecycleNow.com or www.recap.co.uk.
• For information about recycling centres in Milton and Thriplow: www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/info/20128/recycling_centres.

Some top tips from SCDC for recycling commonly wasted paper and card

• Christmas cards that don’t have glitter on are recyclable (glitter causes issues in the recycling process as it can’t be removed) – tear off any glitter sections or non-paper items like badges and batteries.
• Do the scrunch test on wrapping paper and gift bags – if you scrunch it and it doesn’t spring back, it can be recycled.
• Cardboard packaging, including from online shopping and sleeves around food, can be recycled.  Simply flatten to save space and remove any plastic or polystyrene.  If possible don’t leave it out in the rain – if cardboard is wet then mould sets in, meaning it can’t be recycled.
• Toilet roll tubes often get forgotten but it’s easy and worthwhile to recycle them.  If everyone in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire recycled two toilet roll tubes over the festive season, it would save enough energy to power Addenbrooke’s Hospital for 1½ days!
• Food and drink cartons – such as those for orange and apple juice – need only a quick rinse.  Flattening them takes up to a third less space in your recycling bin.
• Metallic wrapping paper and metal or plastic coated tinsel should go in the black bin.

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South Cambridgeshire District Council

          T  03450 450 500
          F  01954 713 149
          E  scdc@scambs.gov.uk
          T  @SouthCambs
          W www.scambs.gov.uk

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