Rewards for recycling

Shopping vouchers for Raffles ‘green’ residents

(Date of issue: Tuesday, 29 July 2008)

Carlisle’s Raffles residents will be told how they can convert their recycling into prizes tomorrow (Wednesday, 30 July) at open day at the Living Well Trust building on Shadygrove Road.

As part of a Carlisle City Council promotion, residents who put out their recycling in to their greenbox and place it out on their collection date, will be entered into a free prize draw. Residents who regularly recycle could win £100 of shopping vouchers.

Four lucky winners will be chosen during August and September this year. Prize draw winners will be notified by early October.

Leaflets promoting the new initiative are being delivered to more than 1,000 households within the Raffles area and households who do not currently recycle and being urged to contact the City Council on 01228 817200 or email recycling@carlisle.gov.uk to request a greenbox.

Staff from Carlisle City Council will be on hand to give their recycling advice tomorrow (Wednesday, 30 July) between 11am and 2pm, at an event staged at the Living Well Trust on Shadygrove Road. Information on the greenbox scheme and the City Council’s free bulky household waste collection service will also be available.

Carlisle City Cllr Ray Bloxham, Portfolio holder for Environment and Infrastructure, said:

"Carlisle residents have a great track record when it comes to recycling and we are one of the best performing recycling areas in the UK, but we are always striving to increase the amount, and the quality of waste, we recycle. The Raffles promotion aims to encourage more residents to recycle."

Since the introduction of a new look waste collection scheme in Carlisle last March, residents are recycling nearly half their household rubbish. Carlisle City Council is reporting a dramatic rise in recycling rates since the scheme was introduced to the first round of households. Carlisle residents recycled a staggering 48.78% of their waste in 2007/2008, compared to 34.51% in 2006/2007.

Carlisle City Council has expanded the range of materials that can be recycled. This includes plastic, cardboard, glass, paper and garden waste.

Paper; glass bottles and jars; and tins and cans can all be recycled within a greenbox.