The people of Belfast were urged to give the planet a lift this Christmas by redoubling their recycling efforts. Belfast City Council says its latest figures shows the recycling rate for 2007/08 is 23% - above target and 4% up on last year - and has launched a publicity drive calling on people to keep up the good work over Christmas and New Year.
Cathal Mullaghan, chairman of the Council's health and environmental services committee said, "Christmas is a time when a lot of additional waste is created and up to 75% of this can be recycled. Once the festive season has come to an end we can also recycle real Christmas trees at any of Belfast City Council's recycling centres. There are some things which unfortunately cannot be recycled, such as wrapping paper and Christmas cards with lots of glitter or electronic messages, so we should give some thought to what we are buying and consider alternatives that don't cost the earth - literally."
This time last year Belfast was celebrating the fact that it had broken through the 20% recycling mark for the first time, and a year on the City continues to push up the rate. Belfast currently offers four state-of-the-art recycling centres, including the recently opened Ormeau centre at Park Road in the south of the city. Along with the centres at Alexandra Park, Blackstaff Way and Palmerston Road, it will be open during the festive period.
Full details of opening times can be found on the council website www.belfastcity.gov.uk/recycle.
