Can Southend recycle more for Recycle Week?

Already the borough recycles a magnificent 45 per cent of its waste, but must now tackle the challenge of reaching a 60 per cent recycling rate by 2015.  

This week, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and Cory Environmental are especially urging all residents, community groups, businesses and schools to help do their bit to recycle more.  

This year's Recycle Week theme is 'Recycle at home and away' to help people think about recycling more inside their home and while they are out and about.  

Recycle week is a great opportunity to launch an internal recycling scheme at work or school, to host a clothes swap event or a recycled fashion show at your local community group, or simply to challenge yourself and your family to recycle more at home.  

Southend-on-Sea has a growing network of Recycling Champions - local volunteers who do a great job recycling as much as possible and encouraging family, friends, neighbours and colleagues to do the same.  

Tomorrow, Wednesday 22nd June from 6pm at Southend Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend, there is a special presentation on Southend's waste strategy. If you would like to attend, please contact Rutendo Chitiga, Outreach Coordinator, on behalf of Cory Environmental on 01702 617766 ext 211

Southend's trained Recycling Champions are visiting the Bywaters Materials Recovery Facility in Bow on Friday 24thJune, to see where Southend's pink recycling sacks are sorted and then sent on to reprocessors for recycling.  

This Saturday 25th June from 11.30am to 5.30pm, the recycling team will be at Shoebury Fair  at Shoeburyness High School sports field in Delaware Road, Shoeburyness, promoting food waste recycling, offering recycling advice and recruiting more Recycling Champions.  They will be next to the Southend YMCA team who will be carrying out cookery demonstrations as part of their 'Foodie Project'.  

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council's Executive Councillor for Public Protection, Waste and Transport, Councillor Tony Cox said: "There are many ways Southend residents can get involved this Recycle Week, such as introducing recycling into every room of the house including bathrooms and bedrooms.  

"Biscuit and sweet tins can also be recycled in pink recycling sacks - and remember to use Southend's dual recycling bins whilst on the go. Making little changes like this will make a huge difference towards helping us reach our 60 per recycling rate by 2015."