Chesterfield News


Chesterfield residents urged to recycle their Christmas waste


Residents across Chesterfield are being encouraged to recycle or reuse as much of their Christmas waste as they can following the festive season.

Chesterfield Borough Council declared a Climate Emergency in July last year and following this would like local people to consider their waste, what can be reduced, reused or recycled in 2020.

The majority of households in the borough have a blue bin and black box/caddy insert for recycling. A full list of what can and cannot be recycled in your blue bin can be found below.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant (below), Deputy Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “Tackling the effects of climate change is a key priority for the council.”

“Reducing waste by giving more thought to the products we buy and reusing materials as well as reducing food waste are all ways we can individually make a difference.”

“I encourage people to take action to reduce, sort and separate their waste and to recycle as much as they can of the right items. Recycling is a positive way we can all make a difference and change behaviours in our communities.”

“2019 saw environmental issues come to the forefront with many climate related marches taking place across the world. We are committed to making a difference in Chesterfield and encourage members of the community and local businesses wherever possible to reduce waste and protect the environment.”

“A working group has been set up including representatives from the council, community and business to establish how we can work together to make a real difference in our community.”

“The council’s working group are developing a fully costed action plan that will be presented to a meeting of full council by March 2020”.

Please find below a list of what can and cannot be recycled in the borough:

Blue bin recycling

Yes please:

  • all plastic bottles (drinks, toiletries, cleaning products) remove lids and put in loose
  • plastic pots and tubs (yoghurt, margarine, ice cream, clean plant pots etc)
  • plastic food trays and punnets e.g. meat trays, fruit punnets
  • chocolate and biscuit tins (plastic and metal)
  • drinks cans and food tins
  • empty aerosols
  • clean aluminium food trays and foil (scrunched)
  • metal lids from jars and bottles
  • card and corrugated cardboard (flattened)
  • newspapers, magazines and brochures
  • shredded paper
  • catalogues and directories (including yellow pages, direct mail)
  • envelopes (no need to tear out the window)
  • greetings cards and wrapping paper (please remove all tape, ribbons and plastic)

You can recycle your wrapping paper if it passes the scrunch test. Before recycling make sure you remove any sticky tape and decorations such as bows as these cannot be recycled.

Christmas cards are paper based and can be recycled, along with their envelopes. Remember that any extras such as glitter cannot be recycled and need to be removed.

No thanks:

  • plastic bags e.g. black sacks, carrier bags, bread wrappers, cereal bags
  • plastic film e.g. bubble wrap, magazine wrapping, lids from food trays
  • crisp and biscuit packets/sweet wrappers
  • polystyrene e.g. packaging, takeaway food trays
  • hard plastics e.g. buckets, toys
  • metal items e.g. pans, baking trays
  • textiles e.g. clothes, bedding
  • food waste
  • food / drink cartons and Tetra Pak® e.g. fruit juice cartons
  • foil pouches e.g. pet food, coffee
  • Pringle tubes
  • wallpaper
  • nappies and general waste

In the inner caddy/box – 

Yes please:

All glass bottles and jars (rinsed out please)

No thanks:

  • pyrex and drinking glasses
  • window glass
  • light bulbs
  • microwave plates.

Please don’t mix glass with your other recycling materials. This could lead to a whole lorry of recycling being spoilt.

Find out more: https://www.chesterfield.gov.uk/living-here/christmas-and-new-year-20192020/recycling-your-rubbish-after-christmas

Dom Stevens

Destination Chesterfield Manager

Email Dom
Town Hall

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