Ballynahinch Winner of Recycler of the Month

Congratulations goes to Paula Young from Ballynahinch who is Newry, Mourne and Down District Council’s Recycler of the Month and wins a £50 prize courtesy of Castlereagh Motors.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council’s Vice Chairperson Councillor Gillian Fitzpatrick congratulated Paula for having a flawless blue bin with no contamination. Paula has said that she has no immediate plans for the money but is sure it will be put towards something nice for the family to enjoy.

Councillor Fitzpatrick said, “When searching for the winner we are looking for a bin that contains cardboard, paper, plastic bottles, cans and tinfoil.”

She then added, “People in the district are increasingly aware of which items belong in the blue recycling bins, but there are still some unwanted items which the Council cannot recycle that slip through the net. These include takeaway food boxes as they contain dirt and grease, paper tissue, plastic bags, polystyrene and food wrappers.  Paper based products such as envelopes, shredded paper and tissues will not be accepted, whilst heavy cardboard which must be ripped up, plastic bottles and metal cans, such as food and aerosols, are acceptable.”

Tetra pack, which are the waxed juice or soup beverage cartons, can now be recycled.  Tetra pack cartons are 100% recyclable and are made from high quality wood fibres which are strong and flexible.  When recycled they can be made into new products such as roof tiles or building panels.

Councillor Fitzpatrick concluded, “Any bins containing the incorrect items will be not be emptied, so I would encourage everyone to pay particular attention to the items which they place in their blue bins.”

Anyone who is unsure about what to put in their blue bin should contact the Council’s Environmental Services team on 0300 013 2233.