With Easter just around the corner, many of us are stocking up on delicious chocolate eggs and tasty treats!
In the U.K we buy more that 80 million Easter eggs and it is estimated that over 8,000 tonnes of waste is generated from this packaging each year – including single-use plastic.
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council is asking residents to put an ‘egg-stra’ special effort into recycling and reducing their waste this Easter.
Here are some top tips to crack down on your waste over the holidays:
- Shop wisely: If you are buying a chocolate egg, choose one with minimal packaging.
- Make your own chocolate eggs! Avoid the chocolate egg packaging altogether by making your own eggs using melted chocolate and a mould.
- Recycle all cardboard packaging, moulded plastic and clean foil from your Easter eggs in your green bin.
- Send an e-card: Save paper by sending an electronic card to friends and family. If you do opt for a traditional card, please ensure it does not have any glitter or embellishments on it as it cannot be recycled.
- Planning on having family and friends for dinner? Try and reduce food waste by meal planning and portioning. Love food hate waste has a wealth of information available to help reduce food waste at www.lovefoodhatewaste.com
- All food leftovers can be recycled using your brown bin or caddy.
- After entertaining family and friends, rinse empty jars and drinks bottles and place them in your green bin for recycling.
- Heading out for an Easter walk? Think of the environment and take your litter home.
Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Alderman Glenn Barr, comments: “Single-use plastic has invaded our daily lives and is polluting all corners of our planet with dire consequences. We are calling on everyone this Easter to do their bit to keep our beautiful Borough clean and tidy while also reducing our use of plastic waste. Your small changes can collectively make a massive difference to our local communities.”
For further information, please log on to www.armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk/resident/dont-rubbish-our-future
