You may not realise that everyday health and beauty products in your bathroom can be recycled, and that doing so can make a real difference
For many of us, including me, it's all too easy for thoughts of green living to vanish once you leave the kitchen. For Recycle Week (12th - 18th September), my team are working with consumers to show that recycling needn't be confined to baked bean tins and beer bottles, and that in fact many of the most commonly used products we use to help us look and smell good- such as aerosol deodorant cans and glass face cream pots - can be easily recycled. What's more, recycling the packaging from your toiletries really can contribute to the creation of a greener planet.
So what can be recycled and how should you do it?
For me, it's all about keeping it simple and easy. Here are the top 5 easy recycling wins lurking in your bathroom cabinet:
- Glass face cream pots (don't forget the cardboard packaging it comes in too!)
- Perfume and aftershave bottles
- Plastic shampoo and conditioner bottles
- Plastic moisturiser bottles (such as hand cream and body lotion)
- Aerosol deodorant cans
Worried about residue or unsure whether some bits should be binned?
These top tips should ensure you and your family have the know-how to recycle right in your bathroom:
- Shake it off - Before putting plastic bottles in the recycling bin, if it's easy to do so give them a quick rinse with some water.
- Love your lids - Plastic caps, for example on deodorant cans and moisturiser bottles, can go in with the recycling too.
- Top it off - Pump dispenser tops, such as those on liquid soap bottles, should be removed and disposed of with your ordinary waste as currently they cannot be recycled.
- Check it out -Recycle Now's handy online Recycling Locator allows you to find out exactly what and how you can recycle in your home and nearby where you live. Simply visit: www.recyclenow.com/local-recycling and enter your postcode.
So why should we be recycling in the bathroom?
As a nation we've done a great job of tackling recycling in recent years. But there is more we can do, and the bathroom is a great place to start. For example, it is estimated that 60% of glass is currently collected for recycling - which is great - but it would be even better if it was 100%! And glass face cream pots might be one of the things that usually get missed. It's a small item for one person, but if each of us makes a little change to the way we deal with packaging in the bathroom it will make a big difference when added together.
For more information visit the Recycle Now website.