Recycling up by more than a third in Milton Keynes since introduction of wheelie bins ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Households in Milton Keynes are recycling more since the introduction of wheelie bins in September.

New figures show that recycling has jumped by more than a third in the six months since the city council unveiled greener and more modern waste collections. This included the use of state of the art electric-powered waste trucks, wheelie bins for most of the city, and the separation of glass, cans and plastic (which now go in blue lidded bins) from paper and card (which go in red lid bins). The council says glass, paper and cardboard recycling is now 37% higher than it used to be.

And recycling more of what used to be thrown away is much better for the environment, helping to transform existing materials into new products instead of using far more energy to create products from scratch.

Cllr Jenny Wilson-Marklew, Cabinet Member for the Public Realm, said: “Black bin’ waste that can’t be recycled continues to be used to generate electricity which powers many of the city council’s waste collection, cleaning and maintenance vehicles.

“Recycling is one of the most impactful ways we can tackle climate change as individuals, as it helps to conserve natural resources and reduces air and water pollution. We knew that introducing separate wheelie bins for different types of recyclable materials would encourage people to sort their rubbish more, but we’ve been amazed and delighted by how much recycling has risen in the last six months. I’d like to thank local residents for playing their part.”