MORE than 40 per cent of all waste dumped in bin bags at Bracknell’s re3 centre could be recycled rather than thrown away.

Staff at re3’s recycling centres in Longshot Lane are sorting through waste brought to the facilities in bin bags as a way to increase recycling rates.

In recent trials, re3 found that around 41 per cent of the waste deposited at the centres in bin bags was recyclable. Most of the recovered material was card and paper, textiles, electrical appliances and green waste, all of which can be placed into separate bays at the centres to ensure that they are recycled properly.

Bracknell Forest’s executive member for environment, Cllr Mrs Dorothy Hayes MBE said: “Paper and cardboard, plastic bottles, tins and cans, and aerosols can all be recycled from home. However we know residents sometimes have that little bit extra – like cardboard packaging from a furniture delivery – that they want to bring to the recycling centre.

“By splitting bin bags, we are working hard to ensure that everything that can be recycled is recycled. This is a win-win for council tax payers and for the environment – it cuts costs and reduces waste.”

By diverting this waste away from landfill, residents working with re3 can help to keep costs down and reduce the negative effects landfilling has on the environment.

It costs around £126 to send a tonne of recycling centre waste to landfill, compared to £35 to recycle the same amount.

Residents should still separate their waste as much as possible before visiting the recycling centres so that it can be disposed of more quickly and easily.

Residents bringing waste in bin bags will be asked to leave it in specified cages from now on, ready for re3 staff to sort through. Wokingham Borough Council’s executive member for environment Cllr Angus Ross said: “With recycling, every little helps, and by splitting bags and removing recyclable items, we will be able to extract the best value out of waste that can be processed and reused, while reducing what we send to landfill.”

For more information visit www.re3.org.uk