6 minutes | Tuesday, 9 October 2018
Bubble-blowing bins, recycling reward machines, a huge art installation and ‘Re-Cyler’ recycling collection bikes will appear across Leeds city centre from today (Tuesday 9th October) as part of #LeedsByExample - the UK’s biggest push to date to trial innovative ways to improve rates of recycling on-the-go.
Whilst recycling at home and kerbside collections have improved over the years, the rate of recycling on-the-go is still low. In the UK we get through 13 billion plastic bottles, 9 billion drinks cans and 2.5 billion coffee cups each year and yet recent research by ReCoup found that only 42% of local authorities provide on-the-go recycling facilities.
A survey of visitors to Leeds city centre conducted in August 2018 found that 52% of respondents had disposed of recyclable food and drinks packaging including plastic bottles, cans, coffee cups and food packaging whilst out and about and the majority of this recyclable waste was disposed into general waste bins.
The environmental behaviour change charity Hubbub and recycling compliance scheme Ecosurety have brought together a unique partnership of big businesses and local firms to support #LeedsByExample. The campaign will pilot new recycling facilities for plastic, cans and paper cups on the streets, in local offices, shopping centres, universities and transport hubs for six months from October 2018, in conjunction with Leeds City Council.
To tell us more we were joined on the line by Gavin Ellis, Director and Co-Founder of Hubbub, and Councillor Mohammed Rafique, Leeds City Council executive board member for environment and active lifestyles.