Success for Shropshire community cardboard collection
More than 1000 Shropshire people took their cardboard to Cardboard Christmas collection points on Saturday as part of a community recycling scheme.
Over 15 tonnes of cardboard was collected, raising money for charity and sending a strong message to the Shropshire Council that kerbside collections need to be reinstated.
Ali Thomas and Katy Anderson from Transition Shrewsbury said: “We were overwhelmed by the response. Even more people than last year joined in and Ludlow Pride of Place and South Shropshire Furniture Scheme set up their own Cardboard Christmas in Ludlow.
“Before Cardboard Saturday volunteers collected from streets, schools and offices across Shrewsbury harvesting two tonnes of cardboard from more than 250 homes. And then on the big day itself 52 volunteers collected at least another 13 tonnes of cardboard in Shrewsbury and Ludlow. All the proceeds will go to the Severn Hospice, Hope House and Friendly Neighbours.
“People came on foot, by bike, skateboard and disability scooter; they pushed wheelbarrows and prams full of card; they brought cardboard in their cars from their friends and neighbours. The sun shone and there was a fantastic buzz created by volunteers who started the day as strangers and ended up as a close-knit team.
“Cae Post’s compactor at the Red Barn Pub was so full that not another scrap of cardboard could be fitted in it and Cwm Harry and Salopian Brewery’s vans made 7 trips to Pink Skips at Telford. But what will stay with us is that fantastic sense of what we can achieve when we work together as a community and how much people care about not wasting cardboard. We’d like to thank everyone who joined in or supported the event.
“We urge everyone to keep on recycling cardboard at the 21 Bring Banks and the Household Recycling Centres. Cardboard makes up about 10% of all household rubbish and every tonne of cardboard recycled saves 17 trees, 2 cubic metres of landfill space and 4000 Kilowatt hours of electricity. It also saves the Council the cost of landfill disposal and brings an income to offset our council tax.”
Alan Stewart who organised the Ludlow Cardboard Christmas said: “The loss of kerbside collections hits those without a car hardest as they can’t get to the cardboard collection point. Lots of people, especially pensioners, made contact with Cardboard Christmas to ask for our help as they don’t have access to a car and really don’t want their card to go to landfill. We urge people to collect cardboard with their friends and neighbours to cut down cardboard miles and help out people who can’t get to the bring banks. It’s a great way to bring people together.”
Michelle Knott who ran a community collection said: “We've really enjoyed it and have had a great response from the residents in Sutton Lane and our family and friends. Meeting new people in our neighbourhood was a great way to start the New Year.”
Councillor Mike Owen, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member responsible for waste management, said: “We’re currently reviewing our kerbside recycling collection service, and are working with WRAP to identify the most cost-effective options for improving the service, including the collection of cardboard.
“In the meantime we encourage people to recycle cardboard at one of our five household recycling centres, or at the 21 cardboard recycling banks that are now in place across the county.”
Details of where you can recycle card and ideas for sharing cardboard trips, funded by Shropshire Community Recycling Ltd are available at http://www.transitiontownshrewsbury.org.uk.
