Paper and card which makes up almost a third of our rubbish is sorted at our Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) and then taken to newsprint or board mills where it is pulped, pressed and rolled into cardboard linings used to reinforce boxes and packaging. Old newspapers and magazines are all taken to paper mills were they are de-inked, pulped and pressed to create fresh paper for newsprint.

Green garden waste is taken to local composting facilities where it undergoes a three month process of shredding, composting and screening to produce a high grade soil conditioner. In 2006 we collected 12,500 tonnes of green garden waste from Sheffield’s Household Waste Recycling Centres, kerbside green bin and green sack collection schemes.

Glass bottles and jars (known as “cullet”) are sent to glass manufacturers and are then melted down and transformed into new glass bottles and jars. The cullet can also be used as a road construction material.

Food and drink cans are shredded, melted down and then rolled out to produce new cans. Steel cans are also used to make other steel products such as fridges, scissors and bikes for example.

Textiles are collected for re-sale by Reclaim and other charities including the Yorkshire Air Ambulance who are raising money for a second helicopter to be based in Sheffield. Lower quality textiles are used as cleaning rags and cloths.