Over the years chocolate egg packaging has been a hot topic due to the high proportion that couldn’t be recycled. This is slowly changing with major retailers promising to reduce their packaging which is eggcellent. In Northampton, Veolia (Northampton Borough Councils waste and recycling contractors) are asking everyone to pick their Easter treats with the recycling bin in mind, and recycle as much as possible over the bank holiday, starting with cardboard Easter egg boxes and foil egg wrappings.
Around 80 million Easter eggs are eaten in the UK each year which generates around 4,500 tons of Easter egg packaging. A study by Which? revealed that packaging alone accounts for up to a quarter of the total weight of the most popular Easter eggs on sale on the High Street so it’s important to pick sustainably and recycle wherever possible.
Easter recyclables:
- Cardboard Easter egg boxes are recyclable, flatten them before putting them in the recycling bin to save space.
- Most Easter eggs are wrapped in foil, which can go in the kerbside recycling bin.
- Flowers are a beautiful gift, if your cut stems are wilting give them a second life by adding them to your home compost bin or garden waste bin.
- If sending Easter cards make sure they are not glittered so they can be recycled
- Spending Easter at home this year if you’re posting gifts try to reuse packaging boxes and wrap with brown paper.
Keith Powell Contract Manager for Veolia Northampton said: “Chocolate egg manufacturers have listened to public concerns and have made significant improvements by reducing the amount of single use plastic packaging on Easter eggs, we’re now asking all the households in Northampton to keep up the good work and ensure that the cardboard box packaging is recycled’.
Find out what else can go into the recycling bin by checking the Northampton Borough Council website: www.northampton.gov.uk/
