How recycling works

Do you want to know what happens to all those bottles, cans and papers you put out for recycling? Well here’s the inside story…

Collection

The District Council provides a recycling collection service from your doorstep, and provides a special box and bag for you to use.  We also have over 90 mini recycling sites in the District were you can recycle paper, glass and cans. The County Council provides Household Recycling Centres where you can recycle household rubbish (eg. garden waste, cardboard, paper, glass).

Sorting

The sorting of the items you’ve recycled usually takes place at a ‘Materials Recycling Facility’ (or ‘MRF’) which near the Bournemouth airport at Hurn. This uses mechanical and manual systems to separate the different materials and remove any that shouldn’t be there.

Reprocessing

Sorted materials are sent to ‘reprocessors’ who prepare them for use in the manufacture of new products. Some reprocessors themselves turn the sorted materials into new products.

Many things can be made from the materials you recycle…

• Plastic bottles can be made into clothes including fleeces, hats and T-shirts, refuse sacks, window frames.
• Paper and cardboard can be made into newspapers, toilet paper, notelets and cards.
• Steel and aluminium tins and cans can be made back into tins and cans or even used to make parts of aeroplanes and cars.
• Glass is normally made back into new bottles and jars and put back on to the supermarket shelf.
• Textiles can be turned into filling for toys etc if they are not being sent to developing countries