Greater Manchester expands recycling services as rates increase

RECYCLE for Greater Manchester (R4GM), the main recycling operator for Greater Manchester, has announced it will expand the range of materials that can be recycled at its recycling centres, as new research shows recycling rates across the city are on the rise.

As the city’s services increase, residents will now be able to recycle, reuse, upcycle, or compost nearly all of their household waste at Greater Manchester’s recycling centres.

According to the body, the majority of items brought to the centres are recycled in the Northwest, with just two per cent of materials going to landfill.

Part of a trial, this expansion will include the recycling of hard plastics, such as old plastic garden furniture or unusable children’s toys. Once collected, these hard plastics will be taken to a specialist reprocessor, where they will be used to make new plastic products.

Residents will also be able to recycle mattresses and carpets. These are then transported to a facility in Bolton, a Town in the Northwest of the region, operated by the Furniture Recycling Group (TFR). Here, mattresses are broken down into 19 different component parts, including steel, cotton, polyester, and foam. Uses for the materials include use in car manufacturing and to make stab-proof vests.

As well as an inflation in services, Greater Manchester recycling centres are also focused on reuse, with ‘Renew’ containers found at 18 of the 20 sites. In the bins, residents can deposit unwanted items that are in good condition or need just minor repairs.

Once donated, these items are taken to The Renew Hub in Trafford Park, where they are cleaned and prepared to be sold at one of three Renew sops, or via a new platform on eBay.

First opened in 2021, the Renew shops raise money from sales of pre-loved items for the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity, addressing homelessness across the region, and the R4GM Community Fund, which aims to support community projects in Manchester helping to reduce household waste

Currently, there are Renew shops found in Boysnope Wharf, Salford; Woodhouse Lane, trafford; and Arkwright St, Oldham.
Cllr Martyn Cox, Greater Manchester Combined Authority Lead for the Green City Region and waste and recycling, said: “There have been many improvements to our recycling centres over recent years and it’s great to see the recycling rate increasing.

“Through our partnership with SUEZ UK who manage the sites, they’ve been able to identify new recycling outlets such as for hard plastics and mattresses. That means we can recycle more and more of our household waste. And through our Renew shops we’re able to support many of our communities and people in need.”

SUEZ recycling and recovery UK’s Regional Director, John Wrigley, added: “We are really proud of the recycling rates that we’re now achieving across all of our sites in Greater Manchester.

“Since we took on the contract in 2019 we have focused on bringing in the right partnerships enabling us to recycle more materials, such as carpets and mattresses, with hard plastics being the latest material to be added.

“We work closely with Recycle for Greater Manchester to ensure that residents are aware of what to do with their waste items, and if anybody is unsure on site our operatives are always on hand to help.”