Chichester District residents encouraged to recycle as much as possible this Christmas

“Waste levels tend to increase over the Christmas period, so we are keen to encourage residents to recycle as much as possible and help reduce their environmental impact while still enjoying the festive season,” says Councillor Mark Chilton, Cabinet Member for Finance, Corporate Services and Contract Services at Chichester District Council.

“When you’re unwrapping your presents this Christmas, please remember that cardboard boxes; packaging; wrapping paper; Christmas cards; and, envelopes, can all be recycled.”

“The packaging from our favourite festive food and drink products, such as plastic confectionary tubs, meat trays, packaging and wrapping, foil mince pie cases, glass bottles and jars, can all be placed in your burgundy recycling bin.

“So that we recycle as much as possible, you can help by making sure your recycling is clean, so free from food and drink leftovers (a quick rinse off / out will often do); dry, by keep your recycling bin lid shut (soggy paper and cardboard cannot be recycled and can stick to other items or and can clog up the sorting machinery); and, loose, so not tied up in plastic bags.

If you have extra recycling that you can’t fit into your recycling bin, please keep it dry and place it in a loosely tied black sack next to your recycling bin on your collection day. Excess cardboard should be flattened and folded or cut down to a manageable size for a single crew member to handle.

“We also want to highlight and make people aware of items that unfortunately cannot be recycled. These items include: shiny or metallic wrapping paper; bubble wrap; polystyrene; ribbons and bows; and, plastic film and wrapping. If you need to dispose of these, please make sure they are placed in your black waste bin or re-use where possible.”

Residents can dispose of their real Christmas trees by using the St Wilfrid’s Hospice Treecycling scheme, which will run from 12–15 January 2024.

“Following the success of the scheme in recent years, we are pleased to be promoting St Wilfrid’s Hospice’s Christmas tree recycling scheme so that as many Christmas trees are recycled as possible, while supporting a wonderful local cause,” adds Cllr Chilton. “If you buy a real tree this year, and you’re not signed up to our Garden Recycling Service, please consider using the hospice’s pick-up service and kindly make a donation to the charity – their friendly team of volunteers will collect your tree and ensure it is recycled through the Woodhorn Group at Tangmere. By taking part you’ll be helping to raise vital funds for a local charity close to our hearts and helping reduce your environmental impact this Christmas.”

People can find out about the scheme by visiting www.stwh.co.uk/events/treecycle-2024/ or calling: 01243 775302.

The council is also reminding people that recycling and waste collection dates will be altering over the Christmas period. Residents can view their personal collection dates at: www.chichester.gov.uk/checkyourbinday

Residents can also receive bin collection reminders on their phone through the new Chichester District Council app. The app allows residents to receive personalised notifications and updates on recycling and waste collections; set automated bin collection reminders; and, to report issues quickly and easily, such as fly tipping or request a new bin. The app is available to download now from Google and Apple app stores. For more information, please visit: www.chichester.gov.uk/ChichesterDCApp

The app also provides helpful recycling information on what can and cannot be recycled. Simply enter the item or material into the app search function to find out how to recycle it.

People who download the app are also reminded to make sure that their notifications are switched on, so that they receive all updates and alerts.

The Garden Recycling Service will stop from Friday 22 December and will resume in the New Year on Monday 8 January 2024. Residents who are signed up can use this service to recycle their real Christmas tree. Please ensure the tree is free of all decorations and fits within the bin. Larger trees will be collected providing they have been cut up into smaller pieces and placed in the bin.

“Food waste is a large-scale issue, and like other forms of waste, it also increases over the Christmas period,” explains Cllr Chilton. “Contrary to what most might think, food wastage goes beyond the food you throw away. When food is waste, so too are the resources that went into producing it. Freezing food is a great way to reduce food wastage — it delays spoilage and keeps food safe from microorganisms, and it also slows down the enzymes that cause food to spoil.

“Another way to reduce waste is to only buy what is needed. Writing out a shopping list before doing some Christmas shopping can help people to organise their purchases and avoid impulse buys, cutting down on future waste. In addition, this will keep costs down.”

More food-saving tips and waste minimisation advice can be found at: www.westsussex.gov.uk/ThinkBeforeYouThrow

If residents take the opportunity over Christmas to have a clear out of old electricals and small appliances, clothes and textiles, it’s worth them checking whether they are in the trial area to use the council’s kerbside textile and small electrical collection service. To find out more and to book a collection, please visit www.chichester.gov.uk/textileandelectricalrecycling

This service now also includes used coffee pod recycling collection in partnership with Podback. To date, residents using the service have recycled more than 25 tonnes of coffee pods! Simply register at www.podbag.org to get started.

More information and recycling advice can be found in the winter issue of Initiatives magazine which has been mailed out to residents and can also be found online at: www.chichester.gov.uk/initiativesmagazine