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Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority (MRWA) is proud to ‘Step It Up’ in the biggest and best Recycle Week ever.

Recycle Now and MRWA are asking residents to ‘Step It Up’ in the fight against climate change and take action to protect our environment through even better recycling habits.

This year Recycle Now welcomes a celebrity ambassador to front Recycle Week and is delighted to be working with TV Presenter, Invictus Games Medalist and Strictly Come Dancing Star JJ Chalmers for the national campaign.

JJ is a keen environmentalist and is partnering with Recycle Now to inspire the nation to ‘Step It Up’ in the fight against climate change. JJ Chalmers said, “I’m thrilled to be part of this year’s campaign. I’m passionate about the environment and how we can battle climate change. I am delighted to be working with the Recycle Now team on what has become a really important week of action across the UK. I really want to encourage people to look at what they are doing and how they can ‘Step It Up’ and do even more… even better.”

Recycle Now and MRWA are asking the nation to ‘Step It Up’ and perfect our recycling habits.

Getting recycling right

Latest research from Recycle Now reveals that almost 9 out of 10 people now recycle.

However, 55% of households put items in the general rubbish bin that can be recycled. This, say Recycle Now, is where we need to ‘Step It Up’. We can all help fight climate change by recycling because recycling currently saves 18 million tonnes of CO2 every year, which is the same as taking 12 million cars off the road.

And if you’re at all unsure about how to recycle a specific item, remember that www.recycleright.org.uk can show you exactly what needs to go in the recycling bin where you live!

Craig Stephens, Campaign Manager for Recycle Now: “This year Recycle Week is focussed on how recycling can help fight climate change and how by recycling even better we can have a bigger impact on our environment. More and more of us are recycling, so the next step is to make sure we get our recycling right.”

For the second year running major brands are putting their support/backing behind the Week by donating to help fund it including: – Amazon, British Soft Drinks Association, Britvic, Coca-Cola, Coop, Danone, innocent drinks, Listerine, McDonald’s, The Natural Source Waters Association, Ocado, PepsiCo, Prevented Ocean Plastic, and Waitrose and Partners UK.

To find out more about Recycle Week www.recyclenow.org.uk/RecycleWeek

Liverpool Half Marathon on SUNDAY 12th SEPTEMBER 2021 – Restrictions to access at Otterspool Recycling Centre, Jericho Lane, Liverpool.

There will be some restrictions to the access at Otterspool Recycling Centre during the Liverpool Half Marathon on Sunday 12th September 2021.

Jericho Lane will be closed at the junction to Aigburth Road between 9.00am and – 12.00 noon, as runners pass from Sefton Park to Otterspool Park via the underpass and then across the top of Jericho Lane. The junction will be open as soon as the last runner passes into Otterspool Park.

To avoid disruption in the area during the road closure, please use Old Swan Recycling Centre, Cheadle Avenue, Old Swan, L13 3AF.
Alternatively please use Riverside Drive to access Otterspool Recycling Centre by proceeding along Aigburth Road, Park Road left into Parliament Street, left into Sefton Street.

For more detailed information on the half marathon and road closures on the 12th September 2021, please go to: www.btrliverpool.com

Download: Full Road Closure Event Leaflet

For your nearest Recycling Centre see here.

At Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority we are delighted to support this year’s Zero Waste Week (6th to 10th September).

Founded in 2008, Zero Waste Week aims to help individuals, businesses, organisations, schools, universities and community groups reduce landfill waste, save money and preserve resources. It wants to:

– empower individuals to rethink ‘rubbish’ as a valuable resource
– encourage us all to make small changes that lead to more sustainable consumption patterns
– educate so that people can easily and effectively reduce landfill, save money and participate in the circular economy in line with the Global Goals for sustainable development.

For more information about Zero Waste Week please visit www.zerowasteweek.co.uk.

Access to Otterspool and Old Swan Recycling Centres

Traffic to both Otterspool Recycling Centre and Old Swan Recycling Centre is currently being impacted by diversions.

Otterspool Recycling Centre – vehicles turning right from Aigburth Road into Jericho Lane, and vehicles going straight on from Ashfield Road into Jericho Lane will be diverted via Garston Way between 9.30am to 3.30pm, Monday 9th – Friday 13th August 2021.

Old Swan Recycling Centre – approached from Old Swan, Cheadle Avenue is accessed via Green Lane which is affected by the current Prescot Road closure. A diversion will sign you to West Derby Road where you can access Green Lane.

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A Halton scheme to increase reuse and waste prevention is set to reach out to the local community after winning £8,000 funding.

The Make Use and Lend project will be based at the charity Halton Play Council’s Resource Centre on Mersey Road, Runcorn and aims:

• To increase the amounts of materials being re-used, repaired and loaned rather than thrown away or recycled. This will include textiles, plastics, paper, metal, wood, electrical/electronic items, cardboard and glass;

• To upgrade and update our Toy Library Service for use by the local community with toys and activities to suit all abilities and development needs including a range of resources for special educational nee. Learning through play supports children’s natural physical, cognitive, emotional and social development. This is even more important following the COVID- lockdowns to support positive physical and mental well-being.

• To address environmental impacts the toys we lend out will help to reduce the amounts of plastic and other materials going to waste.

• To provide craft workshops and swishing and sale events to help increase awareness and skills to recycle. re-use, repair and prevent waste.

The scheme was one of just 17 projects awarded funding from Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority/Veolia annual Community Fund and will run until the end of March 2022. The first big event will be a textile sale planned for the end of July at the Resource Centre.

Halton Play Council manager, Joyce Reilly said: “This project and our services play a key and positive role to support vulnerable children and families in Halton particularly as we recover from the impacts of the pandemic. This project will show we can do more as a local community to reduce the amount of materials we throw away, develop new skills and knowledge and demonstrate the value of volunteering.”

Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority Chairperson Cllr Tony Concepcion said: “Make Use and Lend Halton is a great idea and a worthy recipient of our Community Fund. It will keep textiles and clothes from going to waste, give other unwanted items a new lease of life, and – separate to the waste element – will show the benefits of play to vulnerable children.

“Giving groups like Halton Play Council the opportunity to look after the environment can bring benefits to all of us and can help appreciate items as valuable resources rather than something which might be just thrown away.”

Information on the project and events will be provided on the Halton Play Council social media and website: www.haltonplaycouncil.co.uk; Facebook: Halton Play Council Ltd; Twitter: haltonplayc

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Media enquiries to:

Stuart Donaldson, Halton Play Council Email: stuartwho1@live.co.uk Tel: 07882693249

Picture Caption: Volunteers outside Halton Play Council Resource Centre (Sally, Ian and Stuart)

Note to Editors
1. Halton Play Council was established in 1997 as a local independent charity which supports, delivers and champions free play for all children in Halton.
2. The MRWA and Veolia Community Fund supports community and voluntary sector groups, not for profit social enterprises and schools in Liverpool City Region.
3. MRWA operates (via a contract with Veolia) 14 Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) for householders in the Merseyside area wishing to recycle and dispose of their own waste.
4. Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority is responsible for the disposal of municipal waste on Merseyside. It is a Statutory Authority that works with the local authorities in Merseyside and with Halton Borough Council and MRWA takes a lead in advocating waste prevention, re-use and recycling in the City Region.

A project aiming to cut the amount of clothes and textiles going to waste has recently celebrated a significant funding boost.

Toxteth-based education organisation Liverpool World Centre has received £18,000 from the Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority (MRWA) and Veolia Community Fund to run waste prevention project the Ten Tonne Challenge.

The scheme – being delivered in partnership with environmental charity Faiths4Change – is engaging with local schools and universities via workshops, talks and surveys to raise awareness of and help reduce clothes and textiles waste.

An estimated 18,000 tonnes of textiles are discarded from households each year in the Liverpool City Region, a lot of which could still be used. It is this behaviour the project is hoping to change and itself will look to stop over ten tonnes of material from going to waste.

Pablo Guidi, Director at Liverpool World Centre, said: “The whole project will connect children and adults to environmental issues. The educational activities will highlight the life cycle of textiles, including the production and disposal of clothing, delivered through teacher training, assemblies and student workshops.”

Liverpool World Centre launched the project in December with a secondary schools Climate Conference which involved students identifying their own climate actions. Training workshops in textile waste management are being delivered to 35 schools, plus assemblies to schools who either haven’t engaged with environmental work or are in areas of low recycling performance. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Lockdown, several teacher training sessions have been successfully delivered digitally.

Pablo Guidi continued: “There has been an increased pupil participation in climate change activities. We think that by working with school councils we can encourage pupils to direct their actions in a positive way. The focus on raising awareness that all textiles can go for reuse or recycling will help give children a belief that the climate emergency can be tackled.”

Carl Beer, Chief Executive of MRWA, said: “Our research shows that there are high quantities of textiles – such as clothes, carpets, curtains – placed in recycling and household waste bins across kerbside collections in the Liverpool City Region. However, textiles shouldn’t go into bins. Instead, Recycling Centres, charities, local bring banks all accept clothes and textiles where they will go on to be recycled or reused.”

All schools involved are being encouraged to take part in a series of activities to showcase their learning about the textile journey, such as fundraising (through www.recycle4school.org.uk), Pop Up Boutiques, swap shops, technology (such as building scarecrows) and arts and crafts.

One student involved in the project is Grace Harrison, studying at Liverpool Hope University, who said: “I think that the 10 Tonne challenge is a great educational project, not only is it super fun for the children to get involved in but it is also vital environmentally changing information being passed onto the next generation. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time participating in the project, as not only have I learnt a lot but I’ve loved seeing young people engaged in the project.”

By the end of the project it is hoped that up to 60 schools will have engaged in waste education activities, 680 schools will have received a textiles and clothes waste fact sheet, and trainee teachers at two universities will have delivered sub-projects on waste and the environment.

Carl Beer of MRWA, continued: “Textiles waste is a big issue with a significant environmental impact – however, projects like the Ten Tonne Challenge can help have a real positive influence to see that waste reduced.”

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News to editors:
• The attached pictures show: Pupils at St Mary’s and St Paul’s C of E Primary School in Prescot with their Ten Tonne Challenge textiles crafts.

• Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority is responsible for the disposal of municipal waste on Merseyside. Established in 1986 following the abolition of Merseyside County Council, it is a statutory Authority that works with all the local authorities on Merseyside – Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral. MRWA takes a lead in advocating recycling, waste minimisation and safe and effective disposal of waste for Merseyside residents.

• Liverpool World Centre (LWC) is a Development Education Centre which works with communities, educators, schools, charities, businesses and pupils across the region and beyond to make world issues relevant to the lives of young people.

• The MRWA and Veolia Community Fund has contributed £18,070 to a total budget of £25,670.

• The MRWA and Veolia Community Fund 20/21 has seen 15 community groups from Merseyside and Halton share £150,000 to help make the region a cleaner and greener place. The financial support will see the groups help reduce household waste, encourage recycling and resource re-use, and prevent carbon emissions.

A project to help householders cut food waste, eat more healthily and save money is celebrating a funding boost.

Feedback Global has received £19,900 from the Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority (MRWA) Community Fund to run the Your Food Needs YOU! scheme which is delivering cookery workshops and events in order to raise awareness of and help reduce household food waste.

An estimated 140,000 tonnes of food is wasted in the Liverpool City Region each year. A lot of this could still be used and would save the average family £720 a year in groceries. It is this behaviour the project is hoping to change.

Carina Millstone, Executive Director at Feedback Global, said: “We pride ourselves in creating volunteer opportunities and skills on food waste issues for everyone, everywhere, of all ages and ability.

“At the heart of our work is a deep appreciation for the value of food, the role of good food in building communities and the need for local and regional work to build regenerative, regional circular food economies that support positive environmental, health and social outcomes. Funding from MRWA will allow us to adapt our successful model of taking local action on food waste, whilst raising broader public awareness of the issue.”

The project is delivering a programme of quirky, high-profile food-waste-busting events and ingredient harvesting days which brings members of the community together to learn about, appreciate and enjoy food, and simultaneously reduce waste. One part of the programme includes running experimental ‘Food Labs’ which asks participants to bring in five food items from home. They are shown how to extend the shelf life of the items and create healthy meals from the ingredients.

It was originally planned that classes would be delivered in person, however due to Coronavirus and social distancing measures they have mostly been held digitally, including an online cabbage pickling workshop which ran on Global Scouse Day.

By the end of the project in June Feedback hope to have:

– trained up 20-40 Community members to help deliver messages of food waste and act as local food champions,

– engaged 285 people increasing their practical food skills, appreciation of food value and knowledge of the environmental impact of food waste,

– prevented the waste of around 2268kg of commonly wasted household foods through increased food waste avoidance skills among participants.

Feedback’s Merseyside-based project Alchemic Kitchen is delivering the scheme, with the social enterprise experienced in minimising waste, building the circular food economy and improving access to seasonal, nutritious food. Locals residents can even sign up and make a Food Pledge at www.alchemickitchen.co.uk.

Lucy Antal at Alchemic Kitchen, said: “At the heart of ‘Your Food Needs YOU!’ is a message about the value of food and the environmental and climate impacts of wasting it. In addition to reducing food waste, we anticipate that participants will be more aware of wider links between what we eat, climate change and biodiversity loss, such as reducing how much meat we eat.”

Carl Beer, Chief Executive of MRWA, said: “Food waste is a big issue with significant environmental effects. Projects like Your Food Needs You can get people to recognise that the food they buy exists within a circular economy – from farm to fork – while having a real impact in reducing household food waste.”

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News to editors:

• Attached picture caption: Photograph taken at a food glean at Speke Hall, Liverpool. Apples that were collected were then redistributed to households who took part in Alchemic Kitchen online workshops.

• Founded in 2013, Feedback Global is a campaign group which works to regenerate nature by transforming food systems and achieving positive change
• Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority is responsible for the disposal of municipal waste on Merseyside. Established in 1986 following the abolition of Merseyside County Council, it is a statutory Authority that works with all the local authorities on Merseyside – Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral. MRWA takes a lead in advocating recycling, waste minimisation and safe and effective disposal of waste for Merseyside residents.

• The MRWA and Veolia Community Fund 20/21 has seen 15 community groups from Merseyside and Halton share £150,000 to help make the region a cleaner and greener place. The financial support will see the groups help reduce household waste, encourage recycling and resource re-use, and prevent carbon emissions.