TOR2 gives answers and top tips for a low waste Christmas

Christmas cards can be put out with cardboard for collection as long as they are actually made of card not plastic or a ‘metallised’ finish.

Christmas wrapping paper is fine to go in with normal paper for recycling as long as it is paper-based and not the ‘metallised’ or plastic style of wrapping paper. The ‘scrunch’ test will tell you whether it is made of paper or not.

For crackers, any paper can be placed in with paper for recycling and the cardboard tube and any other bits of cardboard can be presented with cardboard for collection.

If you have a real tree Christmas tree which you want to recycle you will be able to drop it off for recycling at the following venues:

Lymington Road Coach Station, Torquay - Saturday 8th January 2011, 10am to 2pm
The Household Waste Recycling Centre, Paignton - any day, 7 days a week
Rea Barn Industrial Estate, Brixham - Saturday 8th January 2011, 10am to 2pm
Marldon Christmas Tree Farm - weekend 8th and 9th January 2011 only
Model Village car park, St Marychurch - 8th January - 31st January 2011

If you have put your recycling and/or residual waste out on the correct day and time and in the correct place and it is missed then you should wait until the next morning to ensure the collection is not just later than usual. If not, call Torbay Council’s Customer First Call Centre to report a missed collection.

As recycling and food waste is collected weekly and there are no changes to the collection dates then this should not be a problem. However, with recyclable items such as paper, cans and bottles, if they are presented for recycling alongside your recycling containers in plastic carrier bags (not black dustbin liners) and clearly labeled as recycling they will be picked up.

Alternatively, you could consider taking recycling to your local bring bank or taking it to the Household Waste Recycling Centre.

Unfortunately, as collections will continue as normal, if you are away or forget to put your recycling or residual waste out for collection you will need to wait until your next collection. However, if you do have a lot of recycling in the meantime don’t forget you can take recycling to a local bring bank or both to the Household Waste Recycling Centre at Tor Park Road, Paignton.

TOR2 are delighted to announce that there will be NO CHANGES to collection days and dates this year for any residents in Torbay over Christmas and New Year.

Residents should note however, that due to potential extra amounts of recycling and/or residual waste, different traffic conditions and potentially different and extra crew shift patterns, collection times may vary compared to your usual collections. This information will be on TOR2 and Torbay Council’s website and advertised in The Herald newspaper and the Christmas TV Supplement.

If you run out of starch liners you can order more by calling TOR2 on 01803 402909 (where you can pay be debit/credit card on the phone). Alternatively, you can collect them (and paid in cash only) at TOR2, Aspen Way, Yalberton Industrial Estate or the Household Waste Recycling Centre (Tor Park Road). They cost £2.25 per roll if collected and £5 per roll if posted. They are also available at The Kitchen Shop, 3, The Strand, Torquay and many other local outlets such as supermarkets. When purchasing liners from local retailers please ensure they are marked with one of the logos which certify that products are 100% compostable and meet the applicable EU composting standard (EN13432).

As a ‘free’ alternative, newspaper can also be used to line food waste caddies instead.