It is possible to recycle these through Terra cycle collection boxes in Superdrug stores that have a pharmacy. At the moment the only ones in our area are in Woolston, Bitterne or Romsey so, if you can’t access one of those stores use our collection buckets. The Marie Curie charity benefits from our collection. Terra cycle, who work with Superdrug, is planning to have more collection points by the end of the year.

Once again, The Hampshire Refillery will help us to recycle wine corks (not the plastic kind!). They go to a company called Recorked UK who give them free to schools and charities for craft work and sell them for recycling (making a % donation to community and environmental charities). Corks can be granulated and turned into, for example, cork tiles, flooring, table mats and cork soled shoes and sandals.

Aluminium foil is 100% recyclable ad infinitum without losing any of its natural properties. We can put aluminium cans into our household recycling but anything else currently goes to landfill. We have just added buckets for aluminium foil. This includes meat trays, take away containers, pet food trays, foil milk bottle bottle tops, the peel back tops of thing like coffee and desserts (eg Gu), some chocolate wrappers and even ‘wrapping’ foil. The test is, if it stays crumpled when you scrunch it, it is recyclable. If it springs back to its original shape, it probably contains some plastic. It must be washed clean and flattened or scrunched into a tight ball. The Hampshire Refillery has volunteered to take our foil and it benefits the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.

These benefit a Leprosy Mission and Alzheimer’s charities.

Any coloured plastic bottle and container tops with the recycle symbol can be put in our bucket. They are recycled for the benefit of a children’s charity called New Beginnings.

The parish Green Living Group is currently researching other recyclables. PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU ARE AWARE OF OTHER THINGS THAT CAN BE REPURPOSED OR RECYCLED AND HOW THAT CAN BE ACHIEVED.

Most UK councils don’t accept flexible plastic packaging which means we can’t recycle it from home. But some big supermarket chains have started to do this including Sainsbury’s and Tesco.

This kind of plastic can only be recycled a limited number of times, so we should all lobby for more reduction in plastic packaging, and look for alternatives where possible, but at least it is something. It takes the ‘single’ out of single use!

The in-store bins that take plastic bags can be used for the following list of plastics:

Dry food flexible plastic for: bread, cereal, rice and other dry goods, confectionery, biscuit and cake wrappers, crisp and snack packets.

Other food flexible plastic includes cheese wrap, peel-able film lids, frozen food bags, fruit/veg/salad bags and flower wrapping, clingfilm and sleeves on bottles.

Pouches and sachets for coffee/confectionery/homecare/sauce/baby food/pet food/microwavable food pouches, toiletries refill pouches, packets and sachets.

Non-food flexible plastic such as carrier bags, clothing bags, bubble wrap, magazine and newspaper wrappers, toilet roll and kitchen roll wrapping.

Hopefully most people know that you can recycle your old spectacles through your optician. Specsavers, Vision Express and Boots Opticians as well as many independent opticians, work with charities that send them to developing countries or recycle the lenses. You can also take them to charity shops (check first) or to your local Lions Club (by post if you are not near to one).

There are a number of charities that send lightly worn bras, (the ones that are outgrown or ill-fitting and still have good wear in them) to developing countries for sale at affordable prices by independent local traders or free distribution. Charities that you can post to direct include Against Breast Cancer, Bravissimo and Smalls for All. I haven’t found a locally based charity yet but the M&S Shwopping service will take bras (amongst other clothes for recycling). Most clothing stores have a bin to put clothes in and they partner with Oxfam who send them on to Frip Ethique in Senegal or (if not in good enough condition) recycle them at their Wastesaver recycling facility in Batley.