J&B Recycling Knowledge

Ensuring that glass/plastic jars and bottles are properly cleaned before placing them in your recycling bin is of utmost importance in promoting effective recycling practices. Here's why:

Contamination Prevention: Cleaning jars and bottles helps prevent contamination within the recycling stream. Residual liquids or food waste left in the containers can contaminate other recyclables, making them unsuitable for recycling. Rinsing them out ensures that the recycling process remains efficient and produces high-quality recycled materials.

Hygiene and Odour Control: Properly cleaning containers removes any lingering odours and helps maintain hygiene in your recycling bin. This is especially important when it comes to food and beverage containers, as they can attract pests or emit unpleasant smells if not cleaned thoroughly.

Safety for Recycling Workers: By cleaning jars and bottles, you contribute to the safety of recycling facility workers. Sharp or broken jars and bottles can cause injuries if they come into contact with unprotected hands during sorting and processing. By cleaning items, you minimise the risk of accidents and create a safer working environment.

Maximising Recycling Efficiency: Clean glass and plastic can be recycled more efficiently. When it is contaminated, it may require additional cleaning steps or even be rejected during the recycling process. Clean materials, on the other hand, can be readily processed and transformed into new products, reducing the need for virgin materials, and conserving valuable resources.

Environmental Impact: Properly cleaning jars and bottles before recycling plays a significant role in reducing our environmental impact. By recycling clean jars and bottles, we conserve energy, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with glass production. By taking this small step, you actively contribute to a more sustainable and circular economy.

In conclusion, cleaning glass/plastic jars and bottles before placing them in your recycling bin is vital for effective recycling. It prevents contamination, maintains hygiene, ensures safety for recycling workers, maximises recycling efficiency, and reduces our environmental footprint. By incorporating this simple practice into our recycling routine, we can make a positive impact on the environment and help create a cleaner and more sustainable future for generations to come.

J&B Recycling provide waste management solutions for local authorities and businesses across the North of England. Our main Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) is based in Hartlepool and we have a second site in Middlesbrough, making us ideally placed for collections across Teesside (Hartlepool, Stockton, Middlesbrough and Darlington). We also have a site in Washington and we operate established collection routes throughout Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, Sunderland, North Tyneside and Northumberland.

We hope you find our J&B Knowledge section useful, but if there is something you would like to know, please don't hesitate to >> Get In Touch.