What happens to your waste and recycling?

Every year Stockton Council collects over 87,000 tonnes of household rubbish.

Do you wonder what happens once we've collected it?

11,712 tonnes is taken to landfill
53,734 tonnes is converted to electricity at the Energy from Waste site at Haverton Hill
23,247 tonnes (over 26%) is recycled.

We aim to increase our recycling rates to 40% by 2011/2012.

Steel or aluminium cans

Cans are taken to AMG in Hartlepool where they are separated into aluminium and steel using a magnetic process and then taken through the recycling process, melted down and reformed into other metal products.

Cardboard

Taken to J&B Recycling, who then transfer it to various re-processors in the UK.

Wood

Wood is taken to local company Tonks, who try to reuse the good quality wood. The remaining wood has metal fastenings removed and is shredded before it is sent to a mill where it is made into wood composites.

Glass

Collected by Glass Recycling UK (GRUK) and J&B Recycling (Hartlepool) and then transported to the Glass Recycling UK plant in Barnsley. The glass is separated by colour. Fastenings and lids made from other materials are removed. The glass is then melted down in a furnace and remoulded into other glass items.

Plastic bottles

Collected by J&B Recycling who then transfer it to AWS (Gloucester) for recycling. The plastic is sorted into different types and then shredded ready for reuse.

Garden waste

All of the garden waste that we collect goes to a farmer from Wingate - A&E Thompson.

WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment)

Things like fridges, freezers, large domestic appliances, televisions, toasters and, kettles are collected for recycling and taken to Wincanton at Billingham. They are put in a metal drum (that looks a bit like a large washing machine) the items are broken up and then hand sorted for recycling. Fridges and freezers have the gas elements removed before they are recycled.

Textiles and shoes

Are collected by the Salvation Army, R&S Recycling and Oxfam. The items are sorted and where possible they are sold through charity shops linked to theses organisations. Things that are not suitable for the shops are bagged and shipped abroad for use in third world countries. Items unsuitable to be sold are recycled into rags.

CDs and books

Are collected by the British Heart Foundation for reuse.

Furniture

FRADE collect quality furniture, working electrical products and good quality bikes, which are then sold via their shop, The Green Room at Brunswick Street in Stockton Town Centre. If you have any of these items and would like a collection, contact FRADE direct on: 01642 608791.