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Scots organisations urged to get ready for Recycle Week

Posted: 13th September 2018

Zero Waste Scotland is calling on local authorities, businesses and organisations to pledge to take action on household plastics this Recycle Week.

Recycle Week, which takes place between 24 – 30 September, is the annual UK-wide campaign to raise awareness of the importance of recycling. This year, Zero Waste Scotland is calling ‘time’s up’ on the 30,000 tonnes of plastic bottles ending up in landfill each year, when they could have been recycled.

Often overlooked, bottles like shampoo and cleaning bottles be recycled across Scotland, and it’s never been more important. It’s time for us all to take action on plastic this Recycle Week.

Zero Waste Scotland is asking organisations to support the campaign by using the online partner guide with its ready for use, downloadable campaign material. Getting involved with the campaign is an easy way to highlight how recycling the different kinds of plastic bottles around the home, as well as the workplace, right now can make a difference for future generations.

Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, Roseanna Cunningham MSP, said:

“Scotland’s vision is for a ‘zero waste’ society. The target we’re working towards is to send no more than 5% of all waste to landfill, and for 70% of waste to be recycled or prepared for re-use by 2025. In order to achieve that, it’s essential that we all recycle as much and as often as we can. We do so not just for ourselves, but for future generations.

“Recycle Week is a great initiative that helps to raise awareness of recycling as a collective effort for all Scots, and I’m urging every organisation – big and small – to get on board.”

Iain Gulland, Chief Executive, Zero Waste Scotland said:

“Recycle Week is the ideal opportunity to do more to make sure we’re recycling as much as we can. We all use plastic bottles in our daily routines – from shampoo and shower gel, to cleaning products – which can all be widely recycled, and it doesn’t take long to do.

“The issue of single use plastics has been well-documented during the last year, and we want to make sure Scots are aware that we need to take action on plastic now. We have seen recycling rates improve across the country but we’re still seeing too many plastic bottles end up in landfill unnecessarily.”

To download the toolkit for Recycle Week and play your part please visit:

https://www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/RecycleWeek2018Toolkit

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