Gateway Road Reuse and Recycling Centre is now closed.
North London Waste Authority (NLWA) has expanded its hard plastics recycling trial to Islington, after a successful launch in Camden.
Hard plastics, such as toys, buckets, and garden furniture, can be difficult to recycle due to their complex composition, and the lack of collection services across London.
To help combat that, NLWA and Islington Council are trialling a new system for collecting and processing the material at Islington’s Hornsey Street Reuse and Recycling Centre. Through the trial, the effectiveness and viability of collecting hard plastics will be tested – as NLWA and Islington Council continue to strive for innovative ways to boost recycling rates.
It comes after the service launched at Regis Road Reuse and Recycling Centre in Camden earlier this year.
NLWA and Islington Council hope that the trial will provide valuable insight into the challenges of recycling hard plastics and help to develop solutions to include these products in north London's future recycling offer, contributing to increased recycling rates.
Cllr Clyde Loakes, NLWA Chair, said: "We’re delighted to be able to expand the trial for hard plastics recycling to Islington and add it to the extensive range of services available across our seven north London boroughs.
“While it’s essential that more is done to prevent waste in the first place, we will continue to seek out opportunities to manage materials more efficiently and with less impact on the environment; helping to support the circular economy.
“We all have a role to play in tackling the climate emergency, so residents are urged to take advantage of this opportunity in Islington to help us create a more sustainable north London.”
Cllr Rowena Champion, Islington Council’s Executive Member for Environment, Air Quality, and Transport, said: “We know that we’re rapidly running out of time to address climate change and that it’s vitally important that we all make greener choices about the way that we live.
“Here in Islington, we’re committed to achieving just that. We’ve recently announced our new Waste and Recycling Plan, which sets out how we’re working to improve recycling on estates, expand food waste recycling collection, and work proactively with businesses.
“The hard plastics recycling trial at our Hornsey Street Reuse and Recycling is another positive step, supporting our efforts to ensure that a wider range of materials are reused and recycled. We look forward to seeing the benefits it brings to people across the borough.”
Other successful initiatives to improve recycling rates and reduce waste across north London include expanded polystyrene and mattress recycling as well as free DIY materials.
To find out more about what can and can’t be recycled at Hornsey Street Reuse and Recycling Centre during the hard plastics trial, please visit: https://www.nlwa.gov.uk/places-to-recycle/islington-hornsey-street.
