Wulfrunians are being encouraged to consider what they throw away and how they could help the environment during Recycle Week 2022.

Residents across the city are being urged to find out more about what they can and can’t recycle during the national awareness week which runs until Sunday (23).

Figures from Defra, the Government’s Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, show that during 2020/21, Wolverhampton was the top performing Black Country authority for the amount of household waste sent for recycling, at 37.3%. The city also has higher rates than Birmingham.

In addition, the latest figures from the city show an improvement on the 2020/21 recycling rates, with quarter one results for 2022/23 at 41.2% - an increase of 3.9%.

But the council is continually trying to increase these rates and is encouraging residents to get involved with education and awareness programmes which aim to make recycling simpler.

Our new education programme for schools, Recycle Rovers, targets areas that have the highest levels of recycling contamination - which happens when the wrong items are placed in recycling bins.

The programme, led by eco-friendly dog Rex Reuse and his squad of Recycle Rovers, aims to help families understand which items can be recycled and which need to go in the general waste bin.

Earlier this year, the council launched a partnership programme with Podback which enables people to recycle their used plastic and aluminium coffee pods, both at our Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRCs) and through door-to-door collections.

And during the summer, a walk-in service was introduced at our two HWRCs in Shaw Road and Anchor Lane to give residents more options for dealing with their recycling.

Councillor Steve Evans, cabinet member for city environment and climate change at City of Wolverhampton Council, said: “We all know how important it is to recycle, but it’s just as important that we understand the best way to do it.

“The vast majority, 99.5% percent, of our city’s domestic waste comes from households via our kerbside collection or our household recycling centres, so this is where we can make a huge difference with recycling. The remainder of the waste, such as that deposited in public litter bins, is taken to our energy from waste plant, where electricity is generated as part of the disposal process.   

“We are currently reviewing what we can offer people outside of the home to help them recycle as well as continually working on further ways we can help residents to understand and reduce contamination when they recycle at home.

“As a council, we have a commitment to recycling. We’ve got some great initiatives in place and we are doing well, but we can always do more and I’d like to encourage all residents to get on board – not just during Recycle Week, but all year round.”

Items that can go into black recycling bins are: aerosols, cardboard, drink cans, foil packaging, food tins (empty and rinse out), glass bottles and jars (empty and rinse out), household plastic bottles, newspapers and magazines, paper, plastic drinks bottles, empty plastic packaging (margarine tubs, yoghurt pots, food trays) and empty food and drink containers (soup, milk, etc.)

Please place items for recycling loose in your black bin, do not use bags.

Do NOT put any of the following in your recycle bin: plastic bags, polystyrene, nappies, garden waste, textiles, clothing, bedding, electrical items, glittery cards, wrapping paper, laminated paper, shiny metallic paper, ribbon and bow decorations, shredded paper or any other general waste.

If you’re in any doubt about whether an item can be recycled, please DO NOT place it in your black bin.

Residents can also find a simple guide to what can and can’t be recycled by visiting: www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/waste-and-recycling/what-goes-my-bins