Braintree District Council is proud to support this year’s Recycle Week which runs from Monday 14 to Sunday 20 September.
The theme for this year's Recycle Week is to show people how their recycling truly makes a difference, and that it’s worth doing properly.
Inspiring action since 2004, Recycle Week is the nation’s biggest annual celebration of recycling, delivered by Recycle Now.
Each year, billions of items that could be recycled are put in the wrong bins around the UK. Each item that is recycled correctly helps save energy and keeps valuable materials in circulation to be used again and again.
Bringing Recycle Week 2026 to life, Recycle Now’s national campaign introduces a cast of recyclable characters that demonstrate how everyday items can be given a new lease of life when recycled properly. Some of the characters include:
- Deo the aerosol – who could become part of a bike
- Trigger the cleaning spray bottle – who can be recycled again into a new spray bottle
- Ally the kitchen foil – who can be recycled into part of a car engine
- Neil the banana peel, who can be used to create green energy, and be recycled into fertiliser.
Residents in the district can support Recycle Week by making sure they recycle the right things in the right bin.
Top tips for recycling in the Braintree district are:
- Paper and cardboard must be clean and dry
- All items for recycling must be loose and not contained within bags or sacks
- Items for recycling should be free from traces of food
- Make the most of the weekly food recycling service.
Catherine David, CEO, WRAP says “Recycling is one of the easiest ways we can all help to divert millions of tonnes of waste from landfill and incineration, conserve scarce natural resources and cut carbon emissions. Each year millions of shampoo bottles, aluminium foil, and other recycling are binned when they could be recycled, so this Recycle Week we're asking people to be a hero at home and rescue more recycling. Together with local authorities and communities, we’re making it easier to keep these valuable materials in use and give our recycling a second life.”
Waste Minister Emma Hardy says: “I fully support Recycle Week and its aim to help people recycle more of the right things, more often. This government is making recycling simpler and more consistent by ending the postcode lottery for recycling services and ensuring households can recycle the same core materials wherever they live.”
Councillor Peter Schwier, Cabinet Member for Operations and Pride in Place at Braintree District Council, said: "We're proud to support Recycle Week and help residents across the Braintree district make the most of their recycling. Every item recycled correctly helps reduce waste and keeps valuable materials in use, so I encourage everyone to take a moment to check what can be recycled and do their bit for our local environment.”
Over the next couple of weeks Braintree District Council’s Waste Minimisation & Sustainability Team will be out and about engaging with residents, offering support and advice. The locations and times are available to view on the council’s website. Residents are encouraged to come along, ask questions, and find out how to recycle more from their door.
To find out where and when the face-to-face events are being held, and for more information on how to recycle right, visit: www.braintree.gov.uk/wastechanges