Recycling Roundup 5th August

Recycling Roundup 5^th August

Britain in Bloom judges have visited Newbury and now the town is on tenterhooks to see if it’s going to reach the finals of the national competition.

The Newbury in Bloom campaign is being run by the council and it’s encouraging businesses, schools, and community groups to create their own eye-catching floral displays. The campaign also aims to make the town a greener and cleaner place to live and work.

Two Britain in Bloom judges were shown around the town, where a community clean up had been held prior to judging day. Volunteers came out in force to pick up litter and show that they take pride in where they live.

Children from a local infant and nursery school also played their part to try and earn some recognition from Britain in Bloom by creating a recycling-themed garden. The children grew plants and vegetables from seed at home in recycled containers then brought them to school and planted them. A school spokesperson said that growing vegetables is helping children to understand where food comes from and the brightly coloured plants are helping to attract plenty of insects.

Newbury will find out in September if it has made the regional finals of Britain in Bloom, and if it’s successful, the town will go onto the prestigious national finals.

Research carried out by WRAP has found that cotton and polyester are the materials whose fibres could potentially best replace virgin materials. Its report ‘Fibre To Fibre Recycling: An Economic & Financial Sustainability Assessment’ said that as much of three-quarters of the clothing that people recycle contains polycotton blends.

There is an increasing demand for cotton, which is unsustainable in the long term, so if a recycled polycotton blend could be used instead, this would be very good news, for the planet and for recyclers who could earn a good income.

Estimates suggest that there will be a five million tonne deficit of cotton next year, as demand is far exceeding supply, so the search for an alternative is underway, and it needs to happen fast.

The aim of the WRAP report was to find out how more textiles could be reused. In the UK alone, £140 million worth of clothing is sent to landfill every year.

WRAP’s director said that the manufacture and incorrect disposal of clothing has a huge impact on the environment, and only housing, transport, and food are more damaging. He added that new materials need to be found as well as new markets for used clothing.

Two new recycling points are being trialled in Hampstead Heath. Two new bins will be installed in the hope that it will help clean up the area after figures revealed that more than 300 tonnes of litter is discarded there every year, and 80% of this is recyclable.

The recent spell of hot weather drew attention to the need for more bins, as bottles and other litter spilled out of the existing bins after people flocked to the area.

The City of London Corporation, the body that manages Hampstead Heath, urged people to dispose of litter properly, or bring less with them when they visit.

A spokesperson for the corporation said that its staff work hard to keep the Heath clean and safe, but it was the public’s responsibility as well.