SOUTH WEST TRAINS AND HAMPSHIRE AUTHORITIES ARE TEAMING UP DURING RECYCLE WEEK 2010

Authorities across Hampshire are teaming up with South West Trains during national Recycle Week 2010 to raise awareness and promote recycling to the County’s many train travellers. Friendly teams of recycling experts will be on hand at nine railway stations across the County on Tuesday 22nd June to remind residents how easy it is to recycle their rubbish and other household items. For those travelling by water there will also be a team at the Gosport ferry pontoon.

We’ll have information, giveaways and competitions to show what can be recycled in Hampshire, and residents will have the chance to win a host of fantastic local prizes.

As well as the usual items such as paper, cardboard, food tins, drinks cans, empty aerosols and plastic bottles that you can recycle at home, we will also be picking up on this year’s national Recycling Week theme and encouraging residents to recycle any old electrical items. Research suggests that, on average, we all have at least three unwanted electrical items at home which comes as no surprise when you take into account that a staggering 154 million small electrical products such as toasters and mobile phones were purchased in the UK in 2008 alone. All of these items can be recycled, saving valuable raw materials; for example, a typical iron contains enough steel to make 13 food cans.

Any unwanted or broken electrical items (those that use disposable batteries, have a mains cable or need recharging) can be taken to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre for recycling.

Councillor Roland Dibbs, Chairman of Project Integra said: “Working in partnership with South West Trains provides us with a great opportunity to engage with residents across the County – explaining what they can recycle and where - and helping us to recycle even more.”

Mark Starkey, Environment Manager for South West Trains, added: “With rail travel commonly known as the most environmentally friendly form of public transport available, and our further commitment to provide even greener, smarter travel for our passengers, we are delighted to be supporting Hampshire authorities during National Recycle Week. The coordinated approach at our stations across Hampshire is a unique way of passing on information and advice about recycling to residents as they travel around the County.”