Issue 207 - BT22 • BT23
Council’s Event Recycling Stations a Huge Success
Ards and North Down Borough Council is celebrating the success of its newly implemented recycling stations at Council-run events, demonstrating its commitment to recycling and sustainability.
L:R Former Mayor Karen Douglas, Ards & North Down Council and Ian Scott, Station Line Supervisor at Translink Bangor Bus and Rail Centre launching the Active Travel Challenge in the Ards and North Down area.
Are you ready to take on this year’s Active Travel Challenge?
This summer people across Ards & North Down are being encouraged to continue to leave their car at home and take part in the Active Travel Challenge in a bid to be more sustainable, save money and to boost physical and mental health. From a short trip to the shop to the commute to work, the Active Travel Challenge recently encouraged participants to switch up their usual routine and try walking, cycling or taking public transport as a cleaner, greener way to travel. The joint initiative was free to sign up to and ran
for the entire month of June. Participants logged their ‘active travel’ journeys on the online platform for a chance to win a of range prizes, including vouchers, travel tickets, gym passes and rewards with national and regional retailers. The Active Travel Challenge is a partnership between Sustrans, Translink,
the Department for Infrastructure, the Public Health Agency (PHA), Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, and Belfast City Council, with the popular annual challenge open to individuals and organisations of any size across Northern Ireland to take part and help create habits for a
cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable lifestyle. The Challenge was also a great way to stimulate a little friendly competition between organisations and indeed amongst teams and colleagues.
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During the recent Sea Bangor Festival, which took place recently, almost 4 tonnes of waste was collected at the supervised recycling point put in place by the Council, of which an impressive 98.5% was sent for recycling into new products. This marks a massive increase in the amount of recyclable waste being diverted from landfill at Council events. The Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Jennifer Gilmour, said: “This new initiative is proving to be a great success, not only for our ratepayers but for the environment too. It also helps place Ards and North Down firmly on the map in terms of its sustainable tourism offering. It will appeal to people from far
and wide, people who are likely to be attracted to our events because of our strident efforts to promote recycling and the wider sustainability agenda.” A full breakdown of waste disposed of at the Council’s Sea Bangor recycling station during the two-day event is as follows: • 1,632kg dry recycling waste • 1,782kg organic waste • 420kg separated glass • 60kg landfill waste To encourage members of the public to use the recycling stations at events, the Council is discouraging the use of the nearby public bins. Instead, they are being directed to dispose of their waste at the specific recycling stations where staff are on hand to provide advice on which bins to use.