West Sussex recycling figures are far from rubbish

Figures released by West Sussex County Council show we are recycling more than ever before.

53% of everything we throw away is recycled, which is meeting the government requirement of more than half.

The County Council is encouraging residents to continue this trend, with targets to increase this to 55% in five years time and 65% by 2035.

Deborah Urquhart, cabinet member for environment at West Sussex County Council said:

“This is great news and shows that West Sussex residents really care about what happens to the many items that can be recycled.

“I want to thank each and every person for helping us to reach this milestone and ask them to continue to support us as we move towards even better recycling rates in the future.

“On average West Sussex households have managed to reduce their general waste by 30kg compared to last year. This is great news as wasting less, especially food, saves money and is good for the environment.”

To help boost recycling rates even further residents are being reminded that their household recycling should be:

• Clean - free from food and drink leftovers - a quick rinse will usually do.

• Dry- keep your recycling bin lid shut – soggy paper and cardboard can’t be recycled, cause other items to stick to them i.e. broken glass, and can clog up machinery when sorted.

• Loose – not tied up in plastic bags.

Details of what items can and can’t be recycled can be found here