WHERE DOES ALL THE RUBBISH GO?

Have you ever wondered what happens to the rubbish in your wheelybin? Well you can see for yourself at Biffa's Open Day at the Beaumont Leys Recycling Centre.

Items in your green box are considered “clean recycling”; they go to make new paper and glass items - plastic bottles can become more bottles, pens, duvets and even fleece jackets!

In addition to this, about 70% of the waste in the Leicester's wheelybins is diverted from landfill sites. The waste goes to Biffa's “Ball Mill”; a state of the art, fully automated waste recovery system; the only one of its kind in the UK. It is a huge metal drum similar to a washing machine, containing hundred of metal “cannonballs”. These grind the waste down into tiny pieces. These can then be separated by various processes. Plastics and cardboard become “floc”, to be burned as fuel at the cement works. Metals including aluminium are removed using magnets and an electromagnetic “eddy current” system. Organic waste (cardboard, plant materials etc) is either used for composting or sent to the “anaerobic digester”, producing methane which is burned to make electricity.

However, recycling items into new materials or via the ball mill uses power. It is still important to reduce the amount of waste we generate. Buy items with as little packaging as possible, repair things and re-use them or give unwanted items to the charity shop; someone else can re-use them and charities benefit too.

You can go and see the ball mill in action during the Open Day on Saturday June 26th, 9am – 1pm, at Biffa, Hoods Close, Bursom Ind.Est. Beaumont Leys, LE4 2BN. As well as a tour of the works they have recycled art workshops, children's activities and competitions and maybe even a ride in a bin lorry! You could even meet Bertie Box! It's a bit smelly but it's fun!

For more information see www.leicester.gov.uk/recycling or ring 2527002.

Other interesting websites:

www.biffaleicester.co.uk for info about ball mill (in “about Biffa”)

www.freeuseit.org donate items for others to use - or take away - for free! (Leicestershire)

www.freecycle.org the same (national)

www.lesswaste.org.uk recycling info for Leicestershire, composting advice and cheap composters, reuse ideas, kids' pages and games.