Oxfordshire residents are being urged to boost recycling rates, despite being national leaders throughout the last decade.
The county already boasts a 57.2 per cent recycling and composting rate, earning it the title of being the best recyclers in England for 10 consecutive years.
However, Oxfordshire County Council is now calling on residents to increase this figure, as it says around half of the average rubbish bin is still made up of items that could be recycled.
The call comes to mark Recycle Week 2024, which is running from October 14 to 20, and which is based on the theme ‘Rescue Me, Recycle’, encouraging people to recycle items which often end up in rubbish bins, such as toilet roll tubes and empty aerosols.
Councillor Dr Pete Sudbury, deputy leader of Oxfordshire County Council with responsibility for climate change, environment, and future generations, said: "Oxfordshire residents are already great at recycling, but there is always room for improvement when it comes to finding the best possible option for an item we no longer need.
"But if everyone can rescue at least one more recyclable item from general waste, it will make a big difference across the county."
Vicky Beechey, Oxfordshire resources and waste partnership manager, added: "Oxfordshire’s councils work really hard to make sure that our waste is recycled and reused as much as possible, but we need your help.
"Why not take one more look at what you’re about to throw away to check if anything else could be rescued and put into the recycling – this could be your empty shampoo bottle, the cardboard toilet roll tube, or the empty aerosol can."
The council has an online Waste Wizard search tool available on its website to help people recycle.
Residents can type in their postcode and the item they no longer need to find out where it could be repaired or donated, or which kerbside bin or recycling centre skip it can go in.
As part of Recycle Week, the council is also running a design activity and prize draw.
Younger residents are invited to design a recycling superhero character.
Fifty entrants will be selected at random to receive an Oxfordshire Reuses aluminium water bottle and other waste-reducing goodies.
Entrants can submit their picture by direct message to @OxfordshireRecycles on Facebook, @OxonRecycles on X, or email their entry to waste.management@oxfordshire.gov.u before midnight on October 20.
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