Brought to you by the Environmental Management team...
Your Environment
working towards a cleaner, greener, safer city
April 2007
Welcome....  
Recycling rate update

Current composting and recycling rate = 43%

Hot topic - bin chips

Recently there has been a lot of press about the bins in Peterborough having chips in them; we want to set the record straight.  In 2002, when Peterborough City Council secured funding from DEFRA to provide residents with green recycling bins across the city, some Councils were using bin chips to monitor recycling data through collections.  As it is cheaper to have the chips fitted at the point of manufacture than to fit at a later date, the decision was made to include a chip at that stage in the event that PCC would also monitor recycling using this tool.  PCC does not have collection vehicles fitted with micro-chip reading systems and therefore the bins chips are not being used.  Should this change in the future full consultation will take place.
 
Updated website makes it easier for residents

The ‘Rubbish, Waste and Recycling’ pages have been updated on Peterborough City Council’s website to be more user friendly.  Residents can use the site to find out all the information they need; from how to use their bins, why it is important to reduce, reuse and recycle, how to get composting and how to use our free bulky collection service and many more things.  Why not log onto www.peterborough.gov.uk/recycling and have a look!

 

Peterborough win with Recycling Programme

Peterborough City Council in partnership with Compass won an  Award for Electrical and Electronic Recycler of the year for its Electrical Appliance Recycling Programme (EARP) – a facility set up not only for the recycling and recovery of discarded electrical items but also as an educational programme designed to help disadvantaged communities in the Peterborough area by developing a sustainable system of training around the collection, reprocessing, repairing and recycling of these electrical goods. Alongside this the EARP take back scheme, supported by local industry, ensures that those on low incomes and in greatest need have access to this ready supply of tested electrical appliances, which are initially repaired by the facility before they go back into the community for reuse.
 
Glass recycling scheme gives pupils new play area

The Friends of Orton Wistow Primary School have funded a new play area at Orton Wistow Primary School from funds they have raised by being part of the council's recycling Adopt-a-Bank scheme.  They have adopted the glass recycling banks in Orton Wistow for a number of years where they publicise the bank and glass recycling within the local community and maintain the site.

In return they receive a payment from the council per tonne of glass they collect for recycling.  It is very important that people make the effort to use the many bring bank sites in the city to recycle their glass.  By doing this people are helping to increase the already impressive recycling rate we have in Peterborough, but also they are supporting their local community and helping them to raise funds for projects such as this one.  

 
FLAG In Action!

The Fly-tipping Action Group (FLAG) has teamed up with the National Grid and Peterborough City Council’s City Services to tackle a well known fly-tipping hot spot on Storey’s Bar Road. FLAG aims to create awareness of fly-tipping and to use the power of local communities to combat fly-tipping.       

Storey’s Bar Road has become a prolific fly-tipping hot spot, and is situated within a picturesque area of Peterborough. The council has received a number of complaints from residents who commute past the eye sore entering Peterborough. The partnership has cleared the area and erected barriers where the fly-tipping regularly takes place to prevent and to discourage people driving onto the site to illegally dump waste. This proven tool in the fight against fly-tipping should act as an enduring solution to the problem.

By working together FLAG, National Grid and Peterborough City Services are executing a sustainable solution for the ongoing problem on Storey’s Bar Road, and helping to improve the environment for people living in Peterborough. Furthermore they want show how partnership working and the pooling of resources can help to make positive change to people and their local environmental quality.
 
Which plastics can I recycle?

Many people are confused when it comes to the plastics which they are able to recycle in the green bin.  In Peterborough we can only accept plastic bottles in the green recycling bin no other plastics at all, so no yoghurt pots, margarine tubs, food trays etc please.  We collect all types of plastic bottles whether they are see-through, opaque or coloured.

We currently only ask for plastic bottles as we know that plastic bottles are made from the three main types of plastic that we are able to accept; PET, HDPE and PVC. 

Welcome to the first edition of ‘Your Environment’ the quarterly newsletter for Peterborough residents.  We hope to let you know what has been going on in the city by featuring stories from all the different areas of our Environmental Management team.  If you have any stories or events you would like featuring or particular topics you would like to see covered in future editions please contact us.
 
Composting in Schools Scheme

This spring get your school involved in the ‘Composting In Schools’ scheme.  We have launched the scheme as we would like to see every school in the city taking part in composting.  With the introduction of healthy eating in schools, there is more fruit waste and what better to do with this waste than compost it.  By having composting schemes in schools, children will be able to relate the composting process to their science curriculum and learn how important it is for the environment and how easy and fun it is to do!  Hands on experience by children in such activities is the best way a child can learn. 

Many schools in the city already have a school garden and composting area set up and for these schools we will be offering them further education and support to ensure the composting in their school is a success.  For those schools that are not currently composting, we will be offering them a compost unit to get them started and help and advice to set up a scheme.

 
Peterborough is flying the FLAG!

The Flytipping Action Group (FLAG) is working in Peterborough to combat the growing problem of flytipping in the district, through education prosecution and prevention.

The Flytipping Action Group (FLAG) was formed in March 2000 to combat the growing problem of flytipping in the district of Peterborough.  It is an organisation working with other bodies in the city, such as the fire service, national rail and the environment agency.  Future editions of the newsletter will be featuring stories of the FLAG group, letting people know where they are out and about and what they are doing in your community to prevent flytipping and graffiti.
 
Plant an Aluminium woodland

Peterborough in Bloom offered schools across Peterborough the opportunity to create miniature woodlands with trees that were awarded to the city because of our excellent recycling.

The trees were part of the national Alupro campaign which awards one tree per tonne of aluminium recycled to authorities across the country. 10% of all trees awarded are donated to Africa. 

We planted trees at 21 schools across the city which will not only educate children about the importance of our local environment but also help the children to identify different species of native British tree. The schools all received 6 different native trees and both technical and physical help with the planting was also provided. 

The tree planting was also combined with recycling awareness activities which included assemblies, recycling games and visits to the Materials Recycling Facility in Fengate. These were all specifically tailored to focus on the importance of recycling aluminium. 

How much aluminium do you recycle? On average a Peterborough resident only recycles one aluminium can per week, I bet most people drink more than that!

Recycling fact: Recycling one aluminium can would save enough energy to power a television for 3 hours!!
 
Introducing 'Washington' the WEEE Man!

The Education team has a new edition to its team, ‘Washington’ the WEEE man.  Washington is Peterborough’s own version of the WEEE man, commissioned by Michelle Reader, kindly funded by Masterfoods and made out of materials from Peterborough’s own award winning Electrical Appliance Recycling Project (EARP).  The first WEEE man was originally made by the Eden Project in Cornwall to represent the amount of waste electrical and electronic products that an average person in the UK will throw away in a lifetime.  Electrical and electronic equipment is one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the UK, which is currently going to landfill.  From 2007 manufacturers & retailers will be responsible for recycling this waste under new EU legislation called the WEEE (Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment) Directive.  Washington will be used for educational purposes throughout Peterborough, making people aware of the increasing amount of electrical products we are buying and throwing away.

 
Do your bit and recycle it!

                             

You can use your green bin to recycle the following:

 

Thank you for reading

Contact details

Web: www.peterborough.gov.uk  Email:wmhd@peterborough.gov.uk  Telephone: 01733 747474