Environmentally-conscious residents managed to recycle six tonnes of Christmas trees – the equivalent weight of a killer whale – thanks to a joint council recycling scheme!
Babergh District Council and Mid Suffolk District Council offered residents the chance to drop off unwanted trees after the festive period so they could be turned into compost.
A staggering six tonnes of fir trees were picked up across the 36 collection points available across both districts.
Tree recycling was just one of a package of recycling tips passed onto residents in a bid to make this Christmas as ‘green’ as possible.
Jonas Grist, Babergh’s Technical Officer (Waste Strategy), said: “We are delighted that so many people decided to take advantage of this community-based scheme and made sure their tree stayed ‘green’ long after the holiday period.
“Although the trees would naturally decompose in a landfill site, it’s not ideal as it generates harmful greenhouse gases like methane - that contribute to climate change - and councils everywhere are running out of precious landfill space. Also, the trees will be used to make a fabulous soil conditioner so that other plants and trees can thrive long into the New Year.”
Cllr Roy Barker, Mid Suffolk District Council’s portfolio holder for Waste and Environment, added: “We were overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of Mid Suffolk residents to recycle their trees.
“This has been another benefit of the partnership with Babergh, as it is the first time we have launched this recycling programme in the district. Next year we plan to build upon this success and roll out the scheme to more sites throughout Mid Suffolk.” ENDS
Babergh's A - Z of Recycling and Waste Disposal.
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