Life Hack: Storage solutions for plastic bottles and cans before they are recycled
Of Her Organiser Plastic Tips The Picture: Bottles In Cans Istock Shared Has Storing Professional Reynolds, Chaos, Sarah Home Top For Organised And Founder
The Re-turn recycling scheme has been running for over seven months and in that time a common complaint has been the unsuitable storage many of us have for plastic bottles and cans that need to be brought to a Re-turn recycling point.
Research from Re-turn shows that three in five people wait until their designated bag is full of plastic bottles and cans before disposing of them at their local Deposit Return Point.
Professional organiser Sarah Reynolds, founder of Organised Chaos, has shared her top tips for storing plastic bottles and cans in the home to cut down on clutter.
“An important part of sustaining organised spaces in the home is by incorporating a routine to keep it organised,” Sarah says.
Dedicate a ‘landing spot’ for plastic bottles and cans for whenever a drink is consumed, usually at home or in the car. Remember to never crush or squeeze your containers as the bar code must be readable, and stick to only drinks containers, which now all feature the Re-turn logo.
Use a container or a box tucked into the corner of a counter in smaller areas to gather plastic bottles and cans. You can then bring the box to empty at the Deposit Return Point or transfer the contents to a bag.
If you have more space to store your recyclables, a bigger storage solution with removable bags will allow for easy transfer to the Deposit Return Point. Alternatively, sorting bins or crates can work well outdoors or in a utility room, with handles for better access.
A boot organiser or a large box can help if you store plastic bottles and cans in the car.
The best way to create a new habit is to add it to an existing one. When you have gathered several plastic bottles and cans to take to your nearest Deposit Return Point, think about the activities you already do during the week and take the opportunity to bring your containers back at the same time. For example, just before the food shop or to or from work one day a week.
If bringing the cans and bottles to be recycled is falling to one member of your household time and time again, consider ways to incentivise household members to get involved. Sarah suggests creating a chart to track collections and receive rewards or put Deposit Return vouchers or the deposit cash towards a special occasion or a treat.
Speaking of the monetary gain, remember to either claim your cash back or have a plan for your store voucher. If you set up a habit to bring back bottles and cans just before a food shop, use your voucher during this purchase. If saving your vouchers for an occasion, consider a small wallet for organising vouchers and keep them in an accessible place, or add them to a gift card for your supermarket of choice to help at Christmas.