ENVIRONMENTALLY conscious residents across West Norfolk have proved that they are committed to recycling, by diverting a staggering 14,200 tonnes of recyclable materials away from landfill since April alone. With the Christmas festivities in full swing th

ENVIRONMENTALLY conscious residents across West Norfolk have proved that they are committed to recycling, by diverting a staggering 14,200 tonnes of recyclable materials away from landfill since April alone.

With the Christmas festivities in full swing the Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk is encouraging local residents to keep up the good work, taking care to ensure that waste is deposited in the correct place so that the volume of waste recycled or reused can continue to grow in the new year.

Each Christmas, homes across the country produce an additional three million tonnes of waste, so to help keep on top of this, households in West Norfolk will continue to receive a weekly refuse collection between Christmas and New Year.

Cllr Brian Long, Cabinet Member for the Environment said: 'We are very proud that West Norfolk is the only area in the county which still receives a weekly refuse collection service; a service which is particularly important at Christmas time and which is widely supported by residents'.

Homes across the borough have been provided with information regarding changes to their refuse and recycling collection services over the Christmas and New Year period and are being advised to check their refuse and recycling bin lids for changes which will affect them.

Due to the continued collection service, additional waste left beside, or on top of, kerbside refuse bins will not be collected by refuse operators unless it is placed in a black sack and sealed with a 'red tag' which can be purchased from all Council offices for just £1.

Nearly 1,300 tonnes of recyclable materials were collected and recycled after Christmas last year and the Council hopes to be able to achieve similar quantities once more, as high quality recycling helps to protect the environment and is an important local service.

Cllr Long said: 'Residents of West Norfolk will be pleased to know that we still have customers for all of our quality recyclable materials so it is essential to keep up the good work over the Christmas holidays'.

Local residents are also being urged to refer to their recycling indicator wheel which the Council distributed to homes throughout the borough last month. The wheel provides residents with a handy guide to where everyday household items can safely be disposed.

It is estimated that Royal Mail delivers a staggering 150 million Christmas cards each year, these (along with wrapping paper and envelopes) however, cannot be put in the kerbside recycling bins as more often than not, they contain metallic finishes, glitter or glue which clog up the recycling mill. However, in the new year used Christmas cards can be taken to local Marks and Spencer, Tesco, TK Maxx or WH Smith stores, where they can be recycled through the Woodland Trust.