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Weymouth & Portland

Three R's (Recycle Project)

What’s in what you’re throwing out?

We know that we need to recycle more – but it’s not always easy to find out what can be recycled, and where. Putting the wrong items into the council’s kerbside recycling bins apparently cost Dorset residents £1.1 million in 2021, with whole batches of otherwise-recyclable material having to be sent to landfill (Dorset Echo, February 2022). The council household recycling plants will take and sort almost everything – but the main ones are inaccessible to those of us without cars.

Sometimes we can be tempted just to throw items away in our general waste bins – but do we always know how valuable those items are? Mobile phones, for example, contain precious metals and rare earths including gold, silver, platinum, aluminium and copper – many of which are mined in less-affluent countries with abysmal health, safety and environmental records – and are, of course, irreplaceable resources.

Sometimes we can be tempted just to throw items away in our general waste bins – but do we always know how valuable those items are? Mobile phones, for example, contain precious metals and rare earths including gold, silver, platinum, aluminium and copper – many of which are mined in less-affluent countries with abysmal health, safety and environmental records – and are, of course, irreplaceable resources.

Luckily some organisations have recognised the value of such ‘waste’ items and will buy- or take- them back. But which organisations will do this - and where exactly 3 arrows are they? That’s what our new ‘Three-Rs’ project is all about - not the traditional ‘reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic’ Rs but the ones represented by the triangles that appear on packaging and products – ‘reduce, reuse and refurbish/recycle’ – the ones that represent a ‘circular economy’ where nothing goes to waste. The project is about producing ‘signposting’ information to less-well known recycling and refurbishment facilities in the area so that we are not left scratching our heads about who could possibly take some tricky ‘waste’.

recycling symbol 3 arrows
3 arrows

THE OUTCOME

Using her knowledge and skills and some input for other member Jane created a comprehensive guide to recycling which we published in March 2023 and made available to all our members.

Review her document and find ways to recycle and help the environment.
This resource is only a guide and information was correct at the time of inception.

AN ACCOLADE

The Dorset Council Waste Promotion Officer, who answered numerous questions with a great deal of patience, has said:
‘I would like to commend you on your guide, it has been incredibly well researched and written, and you have managed to include an extensive range of materials and facilities in a format that is very intuitive to use. You have clearly put in a great deal of hard work to produce this document; I hope that you have a real sense of satisfaction for all your efforts. I would like to share your guide with some of my colleagues if you are happy for me to do so.’. well done

This is a superb accolade to Jane and all her hard work.