The HNZ public meeting on recycling on the 4^th November was well attended. 

Presentations were given by Wendy Fail, Senior Waste Management Officer Northumberland County Council, and Nick Morphet, County Councillor for the Humshaugh Ward.

Key points were: 

1. No household waste in Northumberland is sent to landfill or overseas.
2. Household waste collected from domestic properties is either recycled (grey recycling bins) or sent to an Energy from Waste Plant that generates electricity (green non-recycling bins), both under contract to SUEZ.
3. ONLY paper, cardboard, food and drink cans, aerosol cans and a very limited range of plastic waste, i.e. PETE (polyethylene terephthalate – Recycling Code 1, e.g. empty coke bottles) and HDPE (high-density polyethylene – Recycling Code 2, e.g. empty milk bottles), can be put in grey recycling bins.
4. About half of all the waste put in grey recycling bins cannot be recycled and goes to the Energy from Waste Plant for combustion.
5. The Energy from Waste Plant has sophisticated pollution control measures and the ash produced is reused or recycled where possible, for example aluminium from foil is recovered.
6. There are many other items that can be recycled with collection points at the Northumberland County Council site in Hexham and local shops and supermarkets (see https://www.matthiaswinter.co.uk/pages/recycling-in-hexham)
7. To reduce the need for recycling, wherever possible:
1. Unnecessary items (e.g. excessive packaging) should be REFUSED at the point of purchase.
2. Only the minimum of any of any product required should be purchased – REDUCE.
3. Items should be REUSED for as long as possible.
4. The possibility of REPURPOSING should be explored when an item is no longer needed for the original purpose.

Humshaugh Net Zero is considering how to promote recycling locally and reduce carbon emissions associated with recycling.