Having a big clear out ahead of Autumn? This National Recycling Week (Monday 20 to Sunday 26 September 2021) Metrocentre is encouraging visitors to recycle any old and unwanted items as it works towards a more sustainable future.
From foil balloons and empty beauty products to old electricals, batteries and more at Metrocentre’s many participating retailers. Here’s a handy guide so you know exactly what to put out for recycling:
Empty beauty products
As part of its ‘Bring it Back’ scheme, Lush customers receive 50p off their total purchase for every empty packaging returned or return five empty Lush black pots and receive a free fresh face mask. The old packaging is recycled and reused as new packaging for products as well as bath bomb moulds, bottles, knot wraps, tabletops, spatulas, and much more. Customers can also return their old Lush knot wraps to be recycled and receive 50% off a new knot wrap. Lush is located in the Upper Red Mall.
L’Occitane in Upper Red mall will recycle any brand of beauty plastics and in return offer 10% off one full size individual product.
Visit the recycling station at The Body Shop in the Lower Platinum Mall to recycle empty cosmetic packaging including flexible packaging, makeup packaging, pumps and droppers.
Superdrug also recycles empty beauty products, from any brand, that can’t be recycled at home. Simply take clean empty products to the recycling station in Superdrug located in Lower Red Mall.
Foil balloons and banners
The party is over and you don’t know what to do with all the balloons and banners? Fear not, you can recycle old foil balloons and banners at Card Factory in the Lower Blue Mall or Upper Green Mall.
Paper coffee cups
Customers can also recycle paper takeaway coffee cups, regardless of the brand, at Costa Coffee in the Lower Green Mall.
Old electricals
You can take any electricals or electronics you no longer need to Currys PC World in Lower Green Mall. They accept everything from toasters, and floor cleaners to TVs, whether bought from them or someone else.
If you are buying a new electrical item then the following retailers will recycle your old item for free: Next Home & Beauty and Smiggle in the Lower Red Mall, O2 and Vodaphone in the Lower Green Mall.
Old batteries
Old batteries can be dropped off for recycling at Primark in Lower & Upper Yellow Mall, Next Home & Beauty in Lower Red Mall, Game in Lower Platinum Mall, Marks & Spencer, WHSmith or Currys PC World in Lower Green Mall, Menkind or Wilkos in Lower Blue Mall, and Poundland in Upper Blue Mall.
Printer cartridges
Pop into Currys PC World in Lower Green Mall to recycle your old printer cartridges for free.
Unwanted clothes, footwear, and accessories
Hand in a pair of unwanted shoes in any condition and from any brand at Schuh, Lower Red Mall, and receive a voucher for £5 off a pair of full price shoes priced at £25 or more. Schuh will then send the shoes to Recyclatex where around 90% of the shoe components will be recycled. Recyclatex then in turn donate money to the World Land Trust, Schuh’s charity of choice for sustainability.
Visit H&M’s garment collection box with unwanted clothing items or take old clothes, fabrics, footwear, accessories and jewellery to Zara, both located in the Red Mall.
Primark also accepts unwanted clothes and fabric for recycling, located in Exhibition Square.
The shopping destination is currently working towards attaining the ISO 14001 accreditation which focuses on sustainability and environmental management. It is currently diverting 100% of general waste from landfill and has a facility on site to deal with food waste which goes into an anaerobic digestion facility. Every tonne of food waste recycled by anaerobic digestion, as an alternative to landfill, prevents between 0.5 and 1.0 tonne of CO2 entering the atmosphere, one of the many benefits of anaerobic digestion.
In addition, Metrocentre recently launched its new staff uniform which is made from recycled plastic bottles. On average 45 bottles are used to create a suit jacket and matching trousers, all recycled from landfill. Metrocentre’s first order alone saved almost 5,000 plastic bottles going to landfill in the UK.
Gavin Prior, Metrocentre Centre Director commented: “Sustainability and our impact on the environment is a big focus for us here at Metrocentre. We have a number of new eco-friendly initiatives in the pipeline which we look forward to announcing in the coming months.”
For further information on retailer recycling initiatives please visit the individual retailer websites.