Our Terracycle waste recycling scheme is threatened by contaminated waste.
Waste only has a value to Terracycle if it is not contaminated and is properly sorted.
However the waste left in the Morrisons collection point is routinely heavily contaminated. This project is only viable long term if this contamination can be reduced.
All recycling should be separated and placed in the appropriate collection box. It is great that people are thinking about collecting and bringing in their recycling, but if the materials are left as a bag of mixed recycling, and are not sorted into the appropriate boxes, they become contamination rather than a valuable recyclable material.
Some of the contaminating materials left in Terracycle, for example Tetra Packs, can go in our household recycling collection. So a good first rule of thumb is that if an item can be recycled kerbside, it will not be part of a Terracycle recycling scheme. So making sure you understand the councils recycling programme is your first step to effective recycling.
Terracycle charity collections are sponsored by companies that produce the waste. So if a box is labelled crisp packets don’t place cracker or nut packets in it, despite them looking similar.
With limited volunteer time available for sorting materials, heavily contaminated collection boxes have to go into the general waste. So please only place an item in a Terracycle bin that matches the description on the box – “If in Doubt Leave It Out”.
For information and recycling tips on what is accepted via Terracycle at Morrisons visit https://www.transitionletchworth.org/terracycle and keep an eye on https://www.facebook.com/TTLetchworth
We need a more circular economy and a reduction in waste, but in this interim stage, where Terracycle is a stepping stone to a better world, why not take a look at the plastic waste that you cannot recycle. Could you change your purchasing habits to eliminate this waste? Items like fruit and veg no longer have to come in a plastic bag.