Recycling is an all-year round commitment

 Recycle Week wrapped up after a jam-packed programme of roadshows and resident tours at recycling plants led by Oxford Direct Services’ (ODS) Recycling Team.

The UK’s annual celebration serves to remind communities of the significance and impact of recycling and most importantly, to urge them to take action or renew their commitment to the environment.

During the week 23 - 29 September the team spoke to over 300 residents and new students providing advice and answering questions. The team also took almost 30 people to see the Energy Recovery Facility (incinerator) and Anaerobic Digestion (food recycling) plant.

Oxford City Council wants to encourage residents and Oxford-based schools and businesses to join in the cause and make recycling intrinsic to their daily routine. The Recycling Team will continue making educational packs available for schools, businesses and residents as well as getting out and about knocking on doors and giving educational talks to ensure everyone can recycle correctly.

“Oxford’s recycling rates have steadily increased every year since 2010, from around 43 per cent to over 51 per cent. The City Council is committed to maintaining and improving these rates and has reinvigorated the joint recycling and waste strategy across the county to unite around this global cause.”
Cllr Nigel Chapman, Cabinet Member for Safer Communities and Customer Focused Services.

"Recycle Week was brimming with a host of activities and events that brought recycling to the forefront of everyone’s mind. This celebration of recycling is a reminder of just how important it is to reduce, reuse and recycle our waste to help sustain the world we live in. Residents took action during Recycle Week, and we want to capitalise on this to encourage and support residents to make recycling the new norm." 
Maria Warner, ODS' Recycling Team Leader.

As part of its Clean and Green initiative, the Council also organises local deep cleans to include education and enforcement. Most recently, ending on 6 October, ODS concentrated their resources in the St Clement’s area. They knocked on around 500 doors to talk to residents and students to find out what they think the main recycling and waste issues are and how to help keep the area clean and green.

For more information on recycling visit www.oxford.gov.uk/recycling, email mailto:www.oxford.gov.uk/recycling, go to Twitter and Facebook @recycle4oxford