British government on Monday called on its people to not increase wasteline during Crhistmas holiday, and ensure as much rubbish recycled as possible.
“This Christmas, Britain will generate millions of tonnes of rubbish and it doesn’t need to end up in landfill,” said Waste Minister Dan Rogerson.
“Recycling is a simple way to save resources. It’s easier than ever before for people to do their bit over the holidays and help make a real difference to the environment,” the minister added.
The amount of wrapping paper thrown away at Christmas in Britain alone would stretch to the moon, according to estimates by recycling advisors Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP).
Furthermore, the country also generates a lot of rubbish by throwing away about 1 billion cards and enough tin foil for cover Suffolk mutton over festive period.
“With recycling easier than it has ever been you can play your part and help keep up the good work by ensuring as much of your festive waste is recycled as possible,” said the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in a statement.
“People are recycling more at home than ever before, and it is now a way of life for many.”
It asked British people to also make waste from Christmas parties recycled such as glass bottles and cans by putting them into kerbside collection schemes and local recycling points.
For “real” Christmas trees which are also recyclable, local councils would usually arrange special collections in early January.
According to a WARP report, the average British family is wasting nearly 60 pounds a month by throwing away almost an entire meal a day.
There has been no progress in reducing meat and fish wastage, with Britons still throwing away the equivalent of 86 million chickens every year.
The top three foods being thrown away uneaten in British homes are bread, potatoes and milk. The equivalent of 24 million slices of bread, 5.8m potatoes and 5.9 million glasses of milk are being wasted daily, while even cakes and pastries make it into the top 10 most wasted items.
