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A new campaign is encouraging islanders to find one more thing that can help Guernsey reach its 50% recycling target.
A new campaign is encouraging islanders to find one more thing that can help Guernsey reach its 50% recycling target.
The One More Thing promotion will highlight the island’s achievement in already recycling around 46% of household waste, and underline how close Guernsey now is to the 50% goal.
Public Services estimates that if every islander now recycles one more thing a week, either through the bring banks or the facility at Longue Hougue, it will achieve the required increase.
It hopes the campaign will appeal both to islanders currently using these facilities, as well as anyone not currently recycling.
Public Services Minister Paul Luxon said it was a simple message.
‘It would be easy to look at the 50% target and say we are not there yet so we have failed. In actual fact where we are now, thanks to the commitment islanders have shown to recycling, is a great achievement and the whole community should be proud. We have come this far and are really close to our goal, so the message is “come on everyone, together we can do it”, ’he said.
‘We want anyone not already recycling to be part of this as well. It doesn’t matter if you can’t do everything, just start doing one thing, perhaps newspapers or tins, because every bit helps. ’
Last year, on average, each Guernsey household recycled nearly a third of a tonne of waste.
To achieve the 50% recycling target, it is estimated every household has to recycle around two thirds of a kilogram extra per week. That is roughly the equivalent of a glossy magazine plus a daily newspaper, or one glass wine bottle and a coffee jar.
The One More Thing campaign will offer advice and tips, and answers to frequently asked questions to help islanders identify where they might be able to find items they are not currently recycling. It will also remind islanders of the reasons for recycling.
Public Services recycling officer Tina Norman-Ross said aerosols were one of the most common things that are missed, and items from the bathroom are also often overlooked.
‘Recycling has become just part of everyday life for most of us. That’s great, but it’s nice to be reminded sometimes of how well we are doing, and just what that means.
‘Every item that we recycle saves energy, it saves raw materials, and it’s one less item going into Mont Cuet. So every time we make that trip to the bring banks, we should remember all the good it does.
‘Now if we can help people do even better, then the benefits are even greater. And if we can persuade some islanders who are not currently recycling to give it a go, even if it is just in a small way, then that will be another boost.’
