Western pick-up scheme boosts recycling efforts

A community recycling initiative led by the UNESCO Biosphere award winner the Western Civic Amenity Site has gathered in 10 tonnes of material in its first year.

Last May, the site contacted schools in the west of the Island to gauge interest in a recycling collection scheme.

Schools supported the idea, so site staff began collecting their cardboard, cans and plastic bottles, using an electric vehicle emblazoned with the UNESCO Biosphere logo.

The Department of Infrastructure already collects waste paper from schools.

In March of this year, Isle of Man Creameries milk cartons were added to the weekly collections.

The scheme was extended to collect recyclable items from the Corrin Home, Western Swimming Pool, House of Manannan, DEFA and the recycling bins at Marown Commissioners. The Island’s prison at Jurby now delivers its recycling, too.

By the end of the school academic year in July, the collection scheme had gathered in more than 10 tonnes of recyclable waste, half of it from schools.

Pick-ups have brought in in 7819kgs of cardboard, 672kgs of cans, 775kgs of plastic bottles, 471kgs of glass, 242kgs of Tetra Pak cartons and 228kgs of paper.

Mike Rose, Manager of the Western Civic Amenity Site, said: ‘This has saved organisations more than £1,000 in domestic waste charges and, better still, has increased recycling efforts in the west of the Island. We aim to beat the totals in 2019/20.’

The Western Civic Amenity Site won the inaugural UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man Award for energy after installing money-saving solar power and solar thermal heating systems and low energy lighting and switching to electric vehicles.