The Waste Action Group hopes everyone will contribute to two projects we will be running in Sept and Oct. They are:

Food Plastics Collection and Recycling Trial.

This will take place on 2 Saturdays in September, 3rd and 17th in Morrisons Car Park from 10am to 1pm.. Anyone can bring along plastics from the list that follows to put into the dumpy bags that will be available in the recycling area which is on the left as you enter Morrisons Car Park. Look out for the Sustainable Crediton banner!

We can accept: clear and coloured drinks bottles, household cleaning fluid bottles, shampoo & shower gel bottles, margarine and ice cream tubs, cream, yoghurt & cottage cheese pots, salad pots, fruit and veg trays, frozen food bags, sandwich boxes, plastic packaging, preformed biscuit and chocolate box trays, cds and cases, plastic flower pots 

We cannot accept: polystyrene, bubble wrap, cling film, biodegradable plastic, paint tubs, plastic toys, pet food or soft drink pouches, crisp packets, and any plastic mixed with other materials.

All plastics should be clean and lids should be loosened. Depending upon the response to this trial the WAGS group may expand this scheme across Crediton in coming months. So start saving up your plastic to bring along and please tell all your neighbours and friends to do the same. 

We will report on how the trial went in the October newsletter.

Plastic Rubbish Pick Up Afternoon

On Saturday 1st October we plan to organise a plastic rubbish pick up afternoon in key areas of Crediton. We will announce full details in next month's newsletter but would like to invite everyone to come along and help. 

Please put the date in your diary now. 

This project is to highlight awareness of the pervasive nature of plastic waste in our town, villages and countryside. There is lots of it out there when you start really looking! 

Other Waste Action Group News:

We have now set a date for the next Clothes Swap. Many people have asked us when it will be, so we are letting you know good and early. Start collecting up your good but unwanted/unused clothes, bags and jewellery ready for the event:- and tell your friends and neighbours about it too!

The WAG submitted its comments on Devon County Council's Waste Strategy to the year 2032. Basically we felt that DCC's vision was unambitious and relied on incineration to reduce the amount of landfill. We pointed out that a target of 65% recycling by 2032 was already being achieved in parts of the UK now and was commonplace in Europe. With a target of 80% recycling and using DCC's figures, incineration would be unnecessary and uneconomic. We also pointed out that their assumptions of growth may not actually be correct and that they should also factor in some scenarios of no or even negative growth both of which coupled with 80% recycling meant that incineration would be unnecessary. If the future does involve serious economic downturns due to peak oil and peak various other raw materials, then there will be less wastefulness and reusing our wasted resources will become ever more important.

You have until July 21, 2011 to make comments on the report being put together on the County wide waste strategy envisaged by DCC for the next 20years. Much of what they are proposing is controversial such as using incineration as the main means of waste disposal county wide. Please respond by this date to ensure your comments are taken into consideration fully.

The Waste Action Group have developed a work in progress response which you can read here. It would be valuable however for as many people as possible to state their views as well.

This is a brilliant short video about a pilot project which is putting automatic cameras in the lids of household rubbish bins. The photos of what is put in the bins are then being published on Facebook. The guilt, and exposure of their 'naughty' ways, is changing people's habits! Have a watch!

Have you seen this magazine? It is produced twice a year by Proper Job at Chagford and is full of excellent information and tips about the 3 R's reduce, reuse and recycle.

Changes at Punchbowl & Ashleigh Recycling Centres

As part of Devon County Council's cost saving initiative, charges are to be introduced from April 1st 2011 for disposing of certain bulky waste at Punchbowl and Ashleigh recycling centres. Please be assured they will not effect the majority of household waste, including green waste, disposed of there.

From the Independent

Wasted food equals 3% of greenhouse gas emissions in UK, says new survey

The end of the plastic bottle? It's a start - PepsiCo launches green bottle made entirely from grass, bark and corn husks