Do as we do - Teignbridge Council offices recycle 70 per cent, to lead by example!

By PRSD, on Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Teignbridge Council is leading by example in the recycle stakes, with more than 70 per cent of its office waste – nearly 10 times the national office average – getting recycled

And what’s lead this recycling revolution – communal bins for one, and more recycling bins in each office, rather than a central location, for staff to ‘conveniently dispose of glass bottles and jars, tins and cans, plastic bottles, printer cartridges and batteries’.

So, the trick was to make it easy for people to do, ehh?

Kitchens also saw the addition of new ‘caddies’ for food waste, thin card, and used paper towels and tissues. These caddies enable the council to compost waste ‘on-site’, using a new miniature version of the ‘In Vessel Composting’ technology that deals with all of the food waste from around the district.

El Greeno Supremo District and County Councillor Gordon Hook, told the PRSD: “As a district Teignbridge has a household recycling rate of over 57 per cent, placing it firmly in the national top-ten. As a council we’re the first to encourage residents to recycle, but we realise that we must practice what we preach. That was the idea behind the separate waste system, and we’re pleased to see such strong results from it.

“Recycling our office waste has many benefits, from environmental to financial, and we’re even producing our own compost to use on the grounds. We’re aiming to lead by example, and show our residents that we, like them, are more than willing to do our bit for the environment.”

• What are you recycling for Christmas? Comments below, please