RECYCLING waste collected in Barrow has gone through the same process since 2008.

Once the binmen have emptied all the wheelie bins into their lorry, it is driven to the materials recovery facility in Walney Road, next to the county council's tip.

The wagon is weighed and then all the recycling is emptied inside the compound. Glass is stored separately.

The recycling is then slowly tipped onto a conveyor belt which carries the recycling up into a covered unit where up to eight people are arranged in pairs along the belt.

Each pair of staff are tasked with spotting and removing different types of recyclable material - paper, card and plastics.

As the waste continues along the conveyor belt, it goes underneath a powerful magnet, which grabs any magnetic metal.

Each group of recyclable material is then collected in storage units and is eventually baled into large square bales before it is then sent away to be sold and turned back into reusable material.

How is plastic recycled?

Plastic is chipped and turned into small, round pellets which can then be melted and turned back into plastic.

How is paper and card recycled?

The paper is taken to a recycling plant where it is separated into types and grades.

The separated paper is then washed with soapy water to remove inks, plastic film, staples and glue. The paper is put into a large holder where it is mixed with water to create ‘slurry’.

By adding different materials to the slurry, different paper products can be created, such as cardboard, newsprints or office paper.

The slurry is spread using large rollers into large thin sheets.

The paper is left to dry, and then it is rolled up ready to be cut and reused.

How is glass recycled?

The glass is sorted by colour and washed to remove any impurities.

The glass is then crushed and melted, then moulded into new products such as bottles and jars. Glass does not degrade through the recycling process, so it can be recycled again and again.

How are aluminium tins and foil recycled?

Aluminium and foil goes through a re-melt process and turns into molten aluminium, this removes the coatings and inks that may be present on the aluminium.

The aluminium is then made into large blocks called ingots which are then turned back into tins or foil.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why can't black food trays be recycled?

Due to the fact that most sorting plants use optical sorting techniques to identify the different polymer types, they are not able to identify black plastic trays e.g. those used for ready meal packaging.

Currently most local authorities will not collect this type of packaging.

If they are accepted, it is likely to be rejected at the sorting plant and end up in the residual waste stream and will not be recycled.

Trials are taking place currently where a food tray with slightly different pigment (which still appears to be black) can be identified by its polymer type by optical sensors at sorting plants.

What about carrier bags?

Carrier bag recycling facilities are available in some supermarkets and these facilities are becoming more widespread. Some supermarkets may also allow customers to deposit other packaging films, such as frozen food bags, into their recycling banks.

What about the plastic film on top of ready meals?

Only small amounts of household films are currently recycled.

Most household collections will not accept plastic films due to problems with separating them from other materials.

They can also get tangled up in the machinery at sorting plants. In addition, the very lightweight nature of the material means that it is of low value and it may be highly contaminated.

Where does the rest of my household waste go?

Contrary to popular belief, none of the household waste collected in Barrow goes to landfill.

Everything other than recyclable material is incinerated and used to generate energy which is then sold and goes into the grid.

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