Residents across Colchester are being encouraged to recycle with confidence after a behind-the-scenes visit to the specialist facility where much of the city's recycling is sorted and prepared for recycling.
As part of preparations for the rollout of Colchester's simpler recycling service, councillors and council officers visited Casepak's Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) to see first-hand what happens to recycling after it is collected from residents' homes.
The visit offered an opportunity to follow the journey of recycling and see how paper, cardboard, plastics, tins and cans are separated and prepared to be turned into new products.
How your recycling is sorted
One of the most common questions residents ask is how can paper, carboard, plastics, tins and cans be collected together in the same bin and still be recycled properly.
At the facility, mixed recycling passes through a range of sorting technologies that separate different materials into individual streams. Steel cans are removed using powerful magnets, while aluminium cans, paper, cardboard and plastics are identified and sorted using optical scanners and carefully controlled blasts of air.
The site can process 24 tonnes of recyclable material every hour, efficiently processing the material you've recycled at home. Once separated, the materials are compressed into large bales and sent to specialist processors, where they can be transformed into new products.
The process means residents can mix paper, cardboard, plastics, tins and cans together in the same recycling bin, making recycling easier at home while still ensuring materials can be recovered and recycled.
The visit also highlighted the strict audit processes used to track materials from collection through to recycling, helping ensure recyclable materials reach approved recycling facilities.
The small mistakes that stop recycling
While the technology is impressive, staff highlighted a growing challenge that residents can help tackle: contamination.
Items such as nappies, food waste and liquids are still regularly being placed in recycling collections. Even small amounts of contamination can affect the quality of recyclable material and reduce the chances of it being successfully recycled.
One example is food-soiled cardboard, such as pizza boxes with grease, sauces or food residue left inside. These can contaminate paper and cardboard recycling, reducing the quality of the material collected and potentially meaning it can no longer be recycled. Materials that cannot be recycled, either because they are contaminated or not suitable for recycling, are separated and sent for energy from waste recovery.
Staff also highlighted the risk posed by aerosols, which can cause fires if they still contain contents when processed.
Clean, dry and loose
Rinsing food containers, emptying liquids and keeping recyclable items free from contamination can help ensure more material is successfully recycled. Recycling should also be placed loose in recycling bins rather than inside bags wherever possible, helping to cut down on single use plastics.
Residents are also reminded that nappies, food waste and other non-recyclable items should never be placed in recycling bins.
Helping residents recycle more
Cllr Martin Goss, Portfolio Holder for Waste, Neighbourhoods and Leisure, said: "Many people want reassurance that the recycling they put out each week is genuinely being recycled.
"Seeing the process first-hand was fascinating. The technology used to separate materials is incredibly effective and shows exactly why residents can now place paper, cardboard, plastics, tins and cans together in the same recycling bin.
"What stood out most, though, was the importance of keeping recycling clean and free from contamination. Something as simple as a nappy, food waste or a container that hasn't been emptied can affect much larger quantities of recyclable material.
"We've made recycling easier than ever, with less sorting required at home and a simpler service for residents. Most people are already doing the right thing, and we want to support others to do the same. However, there are legal responsibilities around waste disposal, and we will take action where appropriate in cases of persistent non-compliance."
The visit comes as Colchester continues rolling out its simpler recycling service across the city, allowing residents to recycle paper, cardboard, plastics, tins and cans together in one bin. Glass remains separate in a box.
Residents can find out more about what can and cannot be recycled by visiting this page.