Waste Minimisation

Approximately 65% of waste in County Westmeath currently goes to landfill. This is no longer sustainable or acceptable and, as caretakers of the environment for future generations, we must achieve a situation where sending waste to landfill is OUR LAST OPTION.

Minimisation picture

Reduce* Reuse* Recycle*

ReduceThe average household produces almost 1.5 tonnes of waste a year. We can reduce this amount by prevention, minimisation, reuse and recycling.

The preferred option in managing your household waste is to reduce the amount of waste that you produce in the first place. You can achieve this through changes in what you buy. Here are some ideas on reducing waste at home.
• Avoid buying heavily package goods.
• Buy loose fruit and vegetables
• Buy concentrated products that use less packaging.
• Bring your own shopping bags- every trip
• Use re-fillable or rechargeable products e.g. pens, batteries, printer cartridges
• Use and re-fill your own drinks bottle
• Use a lunch-box instead of foil or plastic wrapping
• Have a garden composter for organic waste such as vegetable peelings, food leftovers, garden waste and divert up to 1/3 of your waste away from landfill
• Share newspapers, books and magazines with friends
• Repair broken goods instead of throwing them away

Food Waste Reduction

A staggering estimated 1/3 of the food we buy is thrown away. You could save yourself up to €1000 each year by reducing the food you throw away. For great tips on reducing food waste log on to www.stopfoodwaste.ie

Reuse

Many items can be used for different purposes. Before you throw something away, think how it could be reused.
• Use scrap paper for writing notes
• Use both side of a piece of paper before throwing it away.
• Shredded paper can be use for bedding for pets such as hamsters and guinea pigs
• Mend clothes and get shoes re-heeled so they last longer
• Donate clothes and other household items to charity shops
• Ask your school if they would like to take old school books
• Keep bubble wrap, paper and cardboard to be used as packaging

Recycle

After reducing and reusing whatever we can, recycling is the next most preferable option. Approximately 35% of waste in County Westmeath is recycled. While recycling figures are improving year on year, about half of what we throw away could be usefully recycled. This would be good for the environment and the economy. Recycling reduces the use of raw materials, lowers energy costs and results in less waste going to landfill.

Take Action Now!

• Recycle glass and cans and textiles at local 'bring banks'. See document downloads below for sites in Co. Westmeath.
• Check if local charities can re-use unwanted clothes and household goods
• Use local authority Recycling Centres located at Zone C, Mullingar Business Park, Clonmore, Mullingar and Golden Island, Athlone for a wide range of items.
• Compost organic waste at home (about a third of our household rubbish is kitchen and garden waste).
• Home composting units are on sale at both Civic Amenity Recycling Centres at a discounted rate of €40.

"Please visit recyclemore.ie for more information about recycling in Ireland" http://www.recyclemore.ie

Reduce * Reuse * Recycle

Bring Banks

There are 48 Bring Banks throughout the County where glass, aluminium cans and textiles can be recycled free of charge.

Sort glass by colour (clear/brown/green). If you have any blue glass bottles or jars, these may be placed in the green bottle bank
Remove lids
Please ensure glass container are clean and free of food or liquid residue
Never put drinking glasses, window glass, pyrex or crockery into the bottle banks. These materials will contaminate the glass bottles and jars and make it un-recyclable

A full list of Bring Banks in County Westmeath is available in document downloads below or click here to find a bring bank near you.

Civic Amenity Recycling Centres

Westmeath County Council has two “state of the art” Civic Amenity Recycling Centres. Located at:

Zone C, Mullingar Business Park, Clonmore, Mullingar. Tel: 044 9344155
Golden Island, Athlone. Tel: 090 6477397

A wide range of materials are accepted from householders for recycling at both locations. Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is accepted free of charge. The Civic Amenity Sites are for Domestic Use Only. Full details of what is accepted/not accepted, charges and opening times are available under Document Downloads below.

Mullingar Recycling Centre

Recycled and reuseable materials were used in the construction of the Recycling Centre. A wind turbine system has been erected at the southeast corner of the site to provide power to the electrical sockets and lights in the administration building. Also, a solar thermal heating system has been fitted to the roof of the administration building, which provides hot water to the administration building. Funding was received under the Cleaner Greener Production Programme for the project. For full details see under ‘Document Downloads’ below.

Household Hazardous Waste Collections

In our daily lives we use products which contain hazardous components. Such products include certain paints, cleaning agents, stains, varnishes, glues and pesticides. The leftover contents of such products are known as ‘household hazardous waste’. Such items are labelled with symbols e.g. corrosive, hazardous or toxic. When improperly disposed of, household hazardous waste can create a potential risk to our health and the environment. Westmeath Co. Council holds two Household Hazardous Waste Collections annually. Details of the next collection, due to take place in 2010, will be advertised in local press and via the Council's website.

Christmas Tree Collection

As part of Westmeath County Council’s ongoing commitment to our environment we are organising a Christmas Tree Collection Programme
Christmas trees may be left at our Civic Amenity Recycling Centres on the dates listed below.
No trees will be accepted after these dates.
Please ensure that lights and decorations have been removed from trees.

Athlone: Athlone Civic Amenity Recycling Centre, Golden Island, Athlone:
Tel: 090 6477397
From; Wednesday 6th to Saturday 23rd January inclusive
Opening times 9.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Saturday (last entry at 4.50pm).

Mullingar: Mullingar Civic Amenity Recycling Centre, Zone C, Mullingar Business Park, Clonmore, Mullingar:
Tel: 044 9344155
From; Wednesday 6th to Saturday 23rd January 2010 inclusive
Opening times - 9.00am – 5.00pm, Monday to Saturday (last entry at 4.50pm).

A charge of €2 per tree will apply.
Normal gate fees will apply for other recyclables brought in along with trees.

Enquiries: Environment Section Tel: 044 9332226

Composting

Composting is a process where organic waste is broken down, by a natural process, producing a rich brown/black crumbly material which can be used to enrich the soil in your garden or as a natural fertilizer.
By composting your household and garden waste you can reduce the amount going in your bin by up to 1/3, thereby reducing your waste disposal costs.
For full details on how to compost at home click on the link below. You can purchase a home composter at a reduced rate of €40 at either of our Civic Amenity Recycling Centres.

The following leaflets are available to download to assist you:

Home Composting

Community Composting

Composting in Business

Waste Electronic & Electrical Equipment (WEEE) & Battery recycling

The European Recycling Platform (ERP)is leading the charge on WEEE and waste battery recycling and has launched WEEE and battery take-back. Final users of WEEE and waste batteries are now entitled to leave them back free of charge, either to retail outlets selling equivalent electronic, electrical equipment or batteries, or to other authorised collection points, including local authority recycling centres. For further information please see www.erp-recycling.org. Retailers may register by emailing retailerreg@erp-recycling.org. For all WEEE and Battery collections in Westmeath from recycling sites you may call 00800 13 08 2005 or email irish.weee@geodis.com.