Norfolk County Council campaigns to increase textile recycling

We get all sorts of weird and wonderful things come back in our skips, many of which could actually be recycled instead of being thrown in with general waste. With that in mind Norfolk County Council is launching a new recycling campaign with the aim of reducing their £750,000 landfill bill. The council’s “Don’t Throw It Away” campaign was launched in Thetford and Jenny Cross, a waste reduction officer from the council, said it was just as much about educating people as cutting costs. “Research shows that many of us think that items in bad condition are only fit for the bin, even though most of them can be recycled into new things like padding for sofas or home insultation” - Jenny Cross, Norfolk County Council Waste Reduction Officer The campaign therefore wants your old fabrics such as socks, holey jumpers, worn out sheets, ripped curtains or even torn pants. Currently 7,700 tonnes of textiles are sent to landfill, with only a third of that being recycled. Funded by the Government’s recycling organisation, Wrap*, the advertising and information campaign will encourage people to consider the things they are throwing away, with the hope of recycling more and in turn saving taxpayers money that can be spent on local services. You can find your nearest textiles recycling point on the Norfolk County Council website. Source: Eastern Daily Press (March 2014)