Neighbourhood Recycling Scheme

COULD YOU HELP YOUR NEIGHBOURS RECYCLE?

Could you become a catalyst in your neighbourhood for recycling of ‘tricky’ items like batteries, water cartridges and foil? Some of us have started to do this on a very local basis, in Boxmoor and the Manor Estate. The idea is to make it easier for your neighbours to recycle things that would otherwise be a hassle. Below are are some ideas to help you get started.

STEP ONE: Decide whether you want to do one or both of the following:

1) Be a ‘neighbourly collector’ of foil, water filter cartridges, colourful tights* and Tetra Paks** at your home; and

2) Set up a neighbourhood collection point at a local venue for batteries (and low energy light bulbs***)

Dacorum Council recycles all these items (except those marked *) through their Household Waste depot in Eastman Way, HP2 7DU. For info about those marked * and details of other collection points, see overleaf.

STEP TWO: Get practical . . .

1) To collect foil etc at your home, you will need to leave at least one bin outside your door, clearly labelled, and then invite your neighbours to drop off their items. You will then need to take these to the Household Waste site as necessary.

2) To set up a neighbourhood collection point near you, you will need to find a local venue willing to take a battery (and light bulb) collection container. This could be a shop (newsagent, chemist, corner shop), Post Office or school. You can explain to the shopkeeper that you will be advertising this Scheme locally which will, in turn, increase the number of customers coming into their shop. The container is fairly small and won’t take up too much space.

You (or another volunteer) will be responsible for collecting the container from the shop, once full, and taking it to the local Household Waste site. If you are also being a ‘neighbourly collector’ of other recyclabes, you could take these at the same time!

You then need to register the details of your collection point on this website: www.cobrascheme.com.

STEP THREE: Tell your neighbours!

Put a simple note can be put through letterboxes in your neighbourhood – this can be a few neighbours or extend as far as the surrounding streets – telling them about what you’re doing, where the local collection point for batteries is, and asking for their (washed) foil etc. See below for suggested letter.

* One of HiT’s members knits colourful tights into bags. Please bring these (washed) to our regular Green Drinks or drop them off at 8 Halwick Close.

** Dacorum’s Household Waste site does not collect Tetra Paks. You will need to take these to Watford or Three Rivers. See overleaf for sites that do.

*** Household Waste depots in Herts are not yet collecting lightbulbs, but will do in the near future, so this should be a second phase of your neighbourhood project. Updates from www.Recolight.com.

SAMPLE LETTER TO NEIGHBOURS:

Dear neighbour

Recycling of a) batteries at [name of local shop] and b) foil, tetra paks and water cartridges at [your address]

As a supporter of ‘Hemel in Transition’, which is keen on reducing waste packaging and reducing our carbon footprint, I thought one of the ways in which we can help is by recycling ‘tricky’ items such as tin foil, batteries, tetra paks (fruit juice and soup cartons), water filter cartridges and colourful tights – yes, one of our members knits them into bags!

There is a grey recycling bin just inside our drive at [your address], where you can drop off the CLEAN foil, tetra paks, water filter cartridges and colourful tights – I will take them to the nearest recycling point on your behalf.

We also now have a local collection point for batteries at our local newsagent, [local shop you have persuaded to participate], so please use this facility as well – I take these to the council’s waste centre on a regular basis.

If you would like to set up a recycling point outside your house, or have any suggestions or questions, please give me a ring; tel HH [your number], or e-mail me at [your email address].

With best wishes,

[Your name]

Collection Points for taking your ‘tricky’ recyclables

BATTERIES

Dacorum Household Waste Depot, Eastman Way, Hemel Hempstead HP2 7DU – foil, batteries, water filter cartridges and (coming soon) low energy lightbulbs.

Sainsburys in Apsley – recycling facility for batteries [and lightbulbs in the car park] and batteries can also be recycled inside the main store and the petrol station.

Willow Environmental Ltd
Unit 41 The Wenta Centre , Colne Way, Watford, Herts, WD24 7ND

TETRA PAKS

ASDA Super Centre, Odhams Industrial Estate, WD24 7RT

Sainsbury’s, The Dome roundabout, Watford, WD25 9JS

Sainsbury’s, town centre, Watford WD17 1PE

The Badgers Pub, The Gossamers, Meriden, WD25 9AD

Rickmansworth Household Recycling Centre, Riverside Drive, WD3 1BN. Also Low energy light bulbs!

Waterdale Household Recycling Centre, ST Albans Rd, Garston, WD25 0PR

LIGHT BULBS

Ohms and Watts Ltd, 34 Mark Road, Hemel Hempstead HP2 7BN

Rickmansworth Household Recycling Centre, Riverside Drive, WD3 1BN. Also Tetra Paks!

Willow Environmental Ltd, Unit 41 The Wenta Centre , Colne Way, Watford, Herts, WD24 7ND

COLOURFUL TIGHTS

Please bring these to Green Drinks or Green Teas and one of our members will knit these into bags!

Information correct to the best of our knowledge on 11 October 2010