Glass bottles and jars accepted in all blue recycling bins from 4 June

Glass bottles and jars will be accepted in blue household recycling bins across the Fermanagh and Omagh District from Monday 4 June 2018 to help to increase recycling within the district. Glass bottles and jars must not be placed in black or green landfill bins.

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council must achieve a 50% recycling rate and significantly reduce waste sent to landfill by 2020 or face significant infraction fines. The district has a current recycling rate of 45.3%.

At present, householders in the Omagh area can recycle their glass at bottle banks or at home using their blue household recycling bin while Fermanagh residents can recycle glass at bottle banks only due to legacy contracts from the former Fermanagh and Omagh district councils.

The Council has now awarded a new contract that allows for the inclusion of glass jars and bottles in blue household recycling bins in the Fermanagh area from 4 June 2018.

Speaking about the new recycling service available to Fermanagh residents, Chairman of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Councillor Stephen McCann, said that the decision to provide all households with the option of placing glass bottles and jars in blue household recycling bins was to ensure a consistent approach within the district and to complement and enhance the network of bottle banks located across the district.

“Whilst the Council will accept glass in all blue household recycling bins from 4 June we encourage residents to continue to use their local bottle banks in so far as possible as the glass collected from them is a better quality recyclate and is more economical to process,” said Councillor McCann.

38 bottle banks are located across the district with 23 available to the public 24 hours a day while the remaining 15 are located at recycling centres and available during normal operating hours.

“We hope that by introducing another way to recycle glass the amount of glass going to landfill will decrease and the overall result will be an increase in the district’s recycling rate,” added Councillor McCann.

Householders in the Fermanagh area are advised not to place any glass material into their blue recycling bin until 4 June 2018 as to do so will result in contamination of the recyclable waste under the existing contract.

All colours of glass bottles and jars can be disposed in bottle banks and in blue household recycling bins. These include wine, beer and spirit bottles, jam and coffee jars, sauce bottles and baby food jars. Glass bottles and jars should be rinsed out and clean.

Non-recyclable glass including window pane glass, mirrors, light bulbs, pyrex, ceramics or crockery including cups and drinking glasses must not be placed in blue household recycling bins or bottle banks.

The inclusion of glass jars and bottles in blue household recycling bins in the Fermanagh area comes into effect on 4 June 2018.

Householders across the district are reminded that it is preferable to recycle glass at bottle banks as it is a better quality recyclate and is more economical to process.

For further information or enquiries about recycling please download the free Bin-Ovation app, contact Fermanagh and Omagh District Council’s Waste and Recycling service on 0300 303 1777 or visit www.fermanaghomagh.com/recycling.