Paper and Card Recycling
Recycle for Greater Manchester's latest campaign aims to encourage residents to recycle more of their paper and card.
It is estimated that in 2010/11 a whopping 100,000 tonnes of paper and card in Greater Manchester was not recycled because it was not put in the correct recycling container – that is the same weight as 25,000 African elephants!
Paper and card is one of the easiest things you can recycle at home in your mixedpaper and card recycling container.
Can I recycle it?
YES
- Paper
- Shredded Paper
- Greeting Cards
- Magazines
- Cardboard Boxes (Any colour, e.g. cereal and soap powder boxes)
- Wrapping Paper (non foil)
- Card Food Packaging (no food please)
- Cartons (e.g. orange juice, milkshake, tomato cartons)
- Telephone directories
- Newspapers
- Catalogues
- Leaflets
- Envelopes both window and non window (any colour)
To make room for all these items, then please squash as many as possible before putting them in your recycling container.
Find out here what colour your mixed paper and card recycling container is in your area?
What are the benefits of recycling paper and card?
By simply recycling your paper and card you will be helping to:
- Reduce the consumption of energy
- Reduce the consumption of rainforest
- Reduce the amount of paper waste going to landfill
- Reduce the emission of gasses like methane into the atmosphere
Hints and Tips to Reduce and Re-use Paper and Card
Paper piles up quickly in most homes, so here are a few hints and tips on how to reduce and re-use your paper and card.
Reduce
- Only print what you really need; send emails rather than printing letters or memos to save paper and envelopes
- Use paper on both sides and set your printer and photo copier to print double-sided
- Buy paper from a sustainble source
- Try and buy items which have reduced packaging
- An easy way for you to reduce your waste is to stop junk mail coming through your letter box. You can stop unwanted mail from companies which may be directly sending you junk mail. To register, contact the Mail Preference Service on 0845 7034599, or visit www.mpsonline.org.uk.
- Send an ecard instead of buying greeting cards
- Do you really need all those serviettes and paper towels? Try reducing the amount you use.
Re-use
- Convert scrap paper into post-it notes and notepads
- Shred old paper and use it for packing material
- Get crafty and use the paper and card to make greeting cards, or origami
- Primary schools or children’s groups may accept donations of card for craft activities.
To find out what happens to your recycling once it leaves your home, then please visit RecycleforGreaterManchester.com.
