Recycling directory leads way to the future

The free Chippenham Recycling Directory is the fourth in a series of 20 being produced by the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust to support and encourage people in their efforts.

It lists local individuals and organisations that accept items for re-use and recycling and gives many handy tips on how to reduce household waste.

To celebrate the launch and remind people that waste needs to be minimised if wildlife is to survive and thrive, a family art day is being held by local artist Ellen Hick at Chippenham Heritage Centre.

She will use materials from the Wiltshire Scrapstore and Resource Centre to help families create sculptures of animals and plants found in Wiltshire.

"As Wiltshire's landfill sites fill up, new ones have to be created, threatening our wildlife with loss of habitat and toxin leakage as well as causing a number of deaths when birds and other animals become entangled in plastic ring holders or wires," said the trust's community waste minimisation officer Lisa Mather.

"For every tonne of household waste we create, 20 tonnes of waste are produced when the raw materials used in making products are extracted through mining and deforestation around the world, causing our waste to have a truly global effect on wildlife.

"The Recycling Directory has been produced to encourage and support more people to reduce, re-use and recycle their waste."

All families attending the event will receive a copy of the Chippenham Recycling Directory, which can also be accessed via the Internet at www.wasteinwiltshire.com

The Directory covers the Chippenham community area stretching from Upper Seagry, Nettleton, Chippenham, Christian Malford and Stanton St Quinton. After the launch it will be available through shops, the library and leisure centre. The Trust put the directory together with volunteers who found out where items could be taken for re-use. Support came from the Community Recycling and Economic Development programme and Wiltshire County Council.