Isle of Wight Residents can now dispose of mixed-material cartons – for example Tetra Paks – in their recycling bins or clear plastic sacks.
The cartons are widely used for drinks and foods such as orange juice, chopped tomatoes or custard and use different materials including plastic, cardboard and aluminium, which are designed to keep the product fresh for longer.
New waste contractor Amey now recycles the cartons, helping the company achieve the council’s target of 90 per cent diversion from landfill and 55 per cent of waste recycled by 2020.
Councillor Luisa Hillard, Executive member with responsibility for sustainability, said:
“When recycling first started on the Island we were told that Tetra-Pak style cartons could not be recycled. Many residents may still have the original ‘what you can and cannot recycle’ cards that were sent out a few years back, which say these style of cartons cannot be recycled.
“However, you can cross that one off and put these types of cartons in with your recycling. This is excellent news for residents ahead of a busy festive period and it’s good news for the council because we will be increasing the amount we recycle.”
Residents should continue to put their waste out for collection by 07:00 on their scheduled collection day. More information on waste services can be found at www.iwight.com/waste.
