Global Recycling Day: 18 March 2023

It’s Global Recycling Day on Saturday 18 March, an annual event established in 2018 by the Global Recycling Foundation. The aim is for people around the globe to come together to recognise and celebrate the importance of recycling in order to preserve our precious primary resources and protect our planet. 

Every year, the Earth yields billions of tonnes of natural resources which will run out in the not too distant future.That’s why recycling and reusing absolutely everything we can is vital – we should see opportunity not waste.

Recycling is a key part of the circular economy, helping to preserve our natural resources. Each year the ‘Seventh Resource’ (recyclables) saves over 700 million tonnes in CO2 emissions and this is projected to increase to 1 billion tonnes by 2030. 

The mission of Global Recycling Day is to:

1. Tell world leaders that recycling is simply too important not to be a global issue, and that a common, joined up approach to recycling is urgently needed.

2. Ask people across the planet to think resource, not waste, when it comes to the goods around us – until this happens, we simply won’t award recycled goods the true value and repurpose they deserve.

This year’s Global Recycling Day theme is #RecyclingHeroes. This will recognise the people, places and activities that showcase the important role recycling plays in contributing to an environmentally stable planet and a greener future.

WHAT MATERIALS CAN BE RECYCLED?

• Paper and cardboard
• Tins and cans
• Aerosols
• Plastic bottles
• Other plastics
• Glass
• Clothing
• Metal
• Wood
  

TOP RECYCLING TIPS

• Make sure you rinse all food and drinks containers so they go into the bin clean and dry, both at home and in the workplace.
• Remove all bottle lids as these cannot be recycled.
• Be careful not to contaminate the recycling by putting in non-recyclable items such as yogurt pots, margarine tubs and plastic bags.
• Metal and wood can be recycled and reused –  TJ accepts these waste types via our skip hire service for domestic and commercial customers, and our third party tipping service for commercial customers. Domestic customers can also take these items to their local Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC).
• Think carefully about throwing away things you simply don’t want any more – if they’re still in usable condition, donate them to a charity shop, advertise on Freecycle or hand it over to the salvage area of your local HWRC.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Glass and clothing can be recycled at a bring bank near you. These are usually situated near convenience stores or in supermarket car parks.
• Some shops and supermarkets are now opting for paper or compostable bags for environmental reasons so go for those or your own canvas bags wherever you can – anything’s better than plastic!
• Tesco has launched the UK’s biggest network of recycling points for soft plastic, making it possible for customers to deposit items such as cling film, crisp packets, baby and pet food pouches, and most soft plastic packaging. This plastic is sent for recycling where it is washed, sorted and processed before being turned into new packaging.

RECYCLING STATS

• In 2022, TJ Waste received and processed over 115,550 tonnes of waste through their network of materials recovery facilities at Southampton, Portsmouth and Yapton.
• The UK recycling rate for Waste from Households (WfH) was 44.4% in 2020. 
• British households create over 26 million tonnes of waste annually.
• An average person throws away around 400 kilograms of waste each year.
• London was the worst city in 2021, with a recycling rate of just 33%.

MATERIALS RECOVERY FACILITIES

TJ has four materials recovery facilities dotted along the south coast, two in Portsmouth, one in Southampton and one in Yapton. All the waste we handle goes through one of these facilities, where it is sorted into categories to ensure that as much as possible is recycled or reused. 

TJ processes all materials in line with WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) protocol. WRAP’s mission is to accelerate the move to a sustainable, resource-efficient economy by re-inventing how we design, produce and sell products, re-thinking how we use and consume products, and re-defining what is possible through reuse and recycling.

We recycle up to 100% of the waste that comes through our doors, demonstrating our commitment to diverting waste from landfill. Our extensive knowledge of recycling facilities in and outside of Hampshire helps make all this recycling possible. Anything that cannot be recycled is directed down the Energy from Waste route wherever we can.

PLASTIC RECYCLING

• We’re passionate about finding new recycling routes for plastic, which is one of the trickiest material types to recycle. 
• TJ formed a partnership with local charity The Final Straw Foundation, who champion the fight against plastic waste. Their work revolves around highlighting the impact of plastic pollution on our environment, local seas and wider oceans. 
• When we established a new recycling process for certain types of plastics in 2019, we knew that it would be ideal for one of our clients, Jude’s Ice Cream. Jude’s unwanted plastic ice cream tubs are now made into a new product – pellets – which can be moulded into new plastic products. The latest equipment for recycling plastic materials is used in this recycling process to ensure that the highest quality products are maintained.

Explore our services and get in touch if you’d like to discuss anything with our friendly and knowledgeable team.