Pendle News Room

Councillor Nadeem Ahmed, Leader of Pendle Council, said:

“This year’s national Recycle Week which runs from 20 – 26 September coincides with the Great Big Green Week which shows how communities across the UK are taking action to tackle climate change

“Local people CAN make a difference by recycling more and making sure they recycle it right,” stated Nadeem.

Jackie Bailey, the Campaign Manager for WRAP - the national Waste and Resources Action Programme for the UK which leads Recycle Week said:

“Throughout the past year many things have happened over which we’ve had no control, the climate crisis is something we can actively do something about.

“Most of us already do, through small but powerful habits – like recycling.”

We save 18 million tonnes of CO2 a year by recycling, the same environmental impact as taking 12 million cars off the road.

2021 is the year of action for climate change and the climate crisis is at the heart of Recycle Week 2021.

Buildings across the country, including the clock tower in Nelson and Blackpool Tower, will be lit up in green.

Carole Taylor, Pendle Council’s Waste and Recycling Co-ordinator warned:

“There is a huge environmental and financial cost if things which can be recycled are sent to landfill.”

She explained:

“One of the biggest problems we have is people putting plastic bags into their recycling bins!

“It’s vital that we all put the right things in the right bin so that non-acceptable items aren’t mixed up with things which can be recycled in our bins.

“When people get it wrong, sometimes whole wagonloads have to be rejected at Lancashire County Council’s recycling facilities,” she said.

Last year, a staggering 323 tonnes of paper and card from Pendle's blue bins had to be sent to landfill at a cost to council taxpayers of around £43,000.

Pendle people are being urged to check their recycling and refuse calendar to make sure they recycle it right - or to visit Pendle Council’s website www.pendle.gov.uk/recycling

Carole added: “We’d like to thank everyone who is doing their bit to recycle as much as they can, including nearly 8,000 people who are on our garden waste scheme.

“Local gardeners are still signing up for our popular fortnightly collections and it’s not too late to join,” she said.

“Visit our website www.pendle.gov.uk/gardenwaste for details.”

Cllr Nadeem Ahmed, Leader of Pendle Council added:

“Schools and community groups can now apply to us for help for projects which help to tackle the climate emergency and this includes recycling initiatives.”

Pendle Council has ear-marked £25,000 over the next 12 months to help groups think globally and act locally through new Climate Action grants.

“We welcome grant requests for projects to increase recycling or reduce single-use plastics - such as installing a water fountain at school to re-fill bottles.

Community groups and schools should visit www.pendle.gov.uk/climateaction for details and the on-line application process for the Climate Action grant will open on Saturday 18th September.