Reduce your egg-stra waste this Easter
To reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill over Easter, why not opt for an Easter egg packaged in recyclable materials.
With some 3,000 tonnes of Easter egg packaging produced in the UK each year Reigate & Banstead Borough Council is asking residents to consider buying Easter eggs that are packaged in recyclable materials.
In recent years, the confectionery sector has reduced Easter egg packaging by at least a quarter, with some manufacturers reducing packaging by as much as half, in response to increasing consumer pressure.
Recycle Easter egg packaging
Cllr Julian Ellacott, Executive Member for Environment, said: "We tend to generate lots of extra waste over Easter - for example from Easter egg packaging, Easter cards and leftovers from family gatherings.
"You can recycle most of the packaging from your Easter eggs by separating out the cardboard boxes and aluminium foil. Cardboard, including greetings cards, can be put in your recycling box, and foil can be taken to a number of our local recycling centres.
"To reduce the amount of waste going to landfill, you might like to opt for one of the many Easter eggs on sale which have less packaging, or which use cardboard instead of plastic packaging.”
Collection changes
Following the Easter bank holiday weekend, there will be some changes to the Council's recycling and refuse collections.
Recycling and refuse will be collected as normal on Good Friday, 2 April. From Easter Monday, 5 April, collections will be one day later than usual. The Council has delivered bin hangers to residents detailing the collection changes.
Recycling and refuse should be ready for collection from the edge of your property and visible from the road by 6.00am on the changed collection day.
Need an extra recycling box?
Cllr Ellacott added: “Don't forget you can recycle unlimited quantities of paper, card and cans through our kerbside recycling service, and we can provide you with an additional free black box if you need one to help you recycle more.
“In addition, you can recycle glass bottles and jars, plastic bottles, aluminium foil, old clothes, shoes and books at a number of recycling centres across the borough."
Easter waste facts
An average of 80 million Easter eggs are sold in the UK each year.
3,000 tonnes of Easter egg packaging is produced in the UK each year.
In a recent consumer poll, 59% of British adults thought Easter eggs are over-packaged and more wanted to see brands take steps to reduce packaging (from a recent consumer poll, Packaging in Perspective, prepared by the Advisory Committee on Packaging and supported by INCPEN, the Packaging Federation and Valpak).
For details of Easter recycling and refuse collections see the Bank Holiday collections page.
For tips on how to reduce, reuse and recycle more of your waste see the Recycle Now website.
Last updated : 08/04/2010
