It is very important that we all take recycling seriously. For example, we all know that recycling helps to reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfills and as a result less harmful emissions like methane gas are released into the earth’s atmosphere. In addition, we are well aware of the importance of recycling plastic, especially plastic bottles. However, there are many other reasons for recycling and for recycling correctly.

As you will see when you are next at Short Lane, we have purchased and installed some new waste and recycling bins inside the clubhouse. There is a very brief notice next to each of these bins explaining what should and therefore should not be recycled.

Please note:

· Mixed recycling must only consist of clean paper, clean card/cardboard, plastic bottles and drinks cans. Everything else must go in the rubbish sections.

· All glass bottles should be returned to the bar.

· To confuse everybody, our large external recycling container is black and our large waste container is green which intuitively is the wrong way around!

· Any plastic sacks used to contain recycled material and disposed of in our external black recycling container must be clear to allow inspection of materials at the recycling facilities. NO BLACK BAGS are to go in our recycling bins.

· Anything in black bags must go in the external green waste bins.

Please can you all assist in ensuring we keep to the above rules as our current recycling company is concerned about increasing costs. Should our mixed recycling be contaminated with any material other than those outlined above, it will be deemed as non-conforming and therefore relevant additional charges will be applied. We don’t want to be spending member’s money on such additional charges; our waste and recycling costs are high enough already.

Particular areas where we need to improve our recycling are:

1. The large black bins in the Function Room. We must insist that these are for rubbish only and this includes dirty cardboard plates etc. However, we must try to encourage that all glass bottles, plastic bottles and cans are returned to the bar for recycling. Please try to monitor this usage.

2. The large external black bins around the clubhouse and on the Astro pitch. These are a problem as currently they are used for both rubbish and recycling.

3. The bin in the small cricket scorebox. All members and users must ideally be encouraged to take their recycling away with them. The bin in the scorebox should be for rubbish only. Please try to monitor this use.

Your help is important here. Please can you pass this message on the to the membership to assist us and help police our recycling to ensure we comply. Any ideas you may have for improving our conformance to the recycling rules would be appreciated.

Many thanks.
Ashford (Short Lane) Sports Management Committee