The latest episode of the Sustainable Warwickshire podcast uncovers the journey of recycling and waste in Warwickshire, separating fact from fiction.
Listeners can hear about how materials are sorted, reused and recycled, both at a large scale and through local community initiatives.
In the latest episode of the Sustainable Warwickshire podcast, Ruth Dixon from Warwickshire County Council’s waste team talks with Ivan Pointon from Kenilworth Lions Ltd, about the different ways in which waste is reused or recycled in the county.
During 2023/2024, Warwickshire generated more than 240,000 tonnes of household waste, collected either from the kerbside or dropped off at Warwickshire County Council’s nine Household Waste and Recycling Centres. Other household items such as furniture are regularly being kept in circulation through charity or community shops.
Reusing and recycling our waste is crucial for reducing environmental impact, conserving natural resources, and creating a more sustainable future for Warwickshire.
The podcast episode addresses some of the most common recycling myths and provides detail on what truly happens to the waste that we generate. This includes the insights that over half of Warwickshire’s waste is recycled and less than 6% goes to landfill, with much of the non-recyclable waste being used to make electricity and heat.
Podcast listeners will learn about the large-scale sorting of recycling by robots at the innovative Sherbourne Recycling Centre in Coventry as well as more local community efforts to keep items in use, including those from Kenilworth Lions Ltd, who manage a second-hand furniture shop in the town.
Cllr Heather Timms, Portfolio Holder for Environment, Climate and Culture, said: “I loved hearing about the work being done in Kenilworth and the ways in which their residents are saving items, from furniture to spectacles, from being thrown away. Reusing and recycling products means that fewer raw materials are needed to produce new items, and it’s also one of the easiest ways that we can all play our part in creating a Warwickshire that is sustainable now and for future generations.”
The Sustainable Warwickshire podcast series is for those people living and working in Warwickshire who care about climate change. It features conversations with people from across the county who are taking action to reduce carbon emissions and support biodiversity. It covers subjects such as energy, waste and recycling, transport, infrastructure and the green economy, whilst also giving Warwickshire residents ideas on how to get involved and play their part.
You can find the Sustainable Warwickshire podcast on Spotify or Apple by searching for “Sustainable Warwickshire”. All episodes are also available at: https://sustainablewarwickshire.podbean.com/
For more information on climate change, visit https://www.sustainablewarwickshire.co.uk