Got a question about recycling?

A question and answer session all about recycling in Plymouth is taking place this Thursday on the Council Facebook as part of Recycling Week.

People will be able to post a question about what can and can’t be recycled and waste staff will aim to answer them either on the day or within 24 hours.

With Plymouth’s new material recycling facility now operational and Recycling Week underway, it is an ideal time to get the answers on questions that can cause bickering in some households.

Councillor Brian Vincent, Cabinet member for Street Scene said: “Most people who recycle are getting it right, but it is important to remind people not to put the wrong items in such food or wet paper as this can make it more difficult to separate items, which can lead to higher sorting costs.”

The new recycling facility operators Viridor have, however, noticed Plymouth residents are getting it wrong when it comes to small, broken and old electrical goods.

Items such as kettles, irons and mobile phones can be recycled – but should not be put into the home recycling collection as the materials recycling facility has not been designed to take them.

Residents should take them to household recycling centres at Chelson Meadow or Weston Mill where they will be recycled. Many retailers also take back old items when new ones are purchased.

What we can take in Plymouth

• Metal including aerosols, drinks cans, aluminium foil tins, pie and cake trays, ready meal trays, takeaway containers, biscuit and sweet tins, food cans/tins
• Cardboard including kitchen and toilet roll tubes, cereal boxes, egg boxes, sleeves from ready meals, toothpaste boxes
• Glass bottles and jars of any colour, including medicine bottles
• Paper – including brochures, catalogues, envelopes (including those with plastic windows), cards, junk mail, leaflets, magazines, newspapers, office paper, shredded paper, telephone directories and wrapping paper
• Plastic – including margarine tubs, cosmetic and toiletry bottles, detergent bottles, washing up liquid bottles, drinks bottles (tops removed), egg boxes, fruit punnet/containers and yoghurt pots.