WHAT HAPPENS TO WASTE AT THE RECYCLING CENTRE?





Wood

Wood from the HWRCs is sent to a locally based reprocessor where it is made into animal bedding for horses, poultry and cattle as well as panel board for new furniture

Scrap Metal

Scrap metal is sorted to separate non-ferrous and ferrous metals and shredded to manageable sizes. This material can then be melted to make new products, from metal bars, wires or sheets of metal.

Cardboard

Cardboard is sent to a paper mill in Trafford. Here it is mixed with hot water in a pulper to start the recycling process. It then goes over a series of rollers at a high temperature to make large rolls of recycled brown paper. This can then me made into new corrugated cardboard products, such as pizza boxes.

Fridges and Freezers

Due to regulations fridges and freezers are collected separately from other electricals, and are sent to specialist recycler. Here, potentially harmful CFCs are removed before motors, metals and plastics are recovered for recycling.

Small Electricals

Small electrical appliances like kettles, toasters and hoovers are manually dismantled for their component parts. Most electricals contain precious metals as well as plastics that can be recycled.

Textiles

Textiles are taken by a specialist offtaker who sorts through the items. Anything of good quality they will take for resale and the rest will be shredded down to make rags for cleaning products.

Mattresses

We have partnered with an organisation based at one of our Bolton sites to recycle mattresses. Here they breakdown mattress into 19 different component parts, including steel, cotton, polyester, and foam which can then be send on for further reprocessing.

Rubble

Rubble is crushed to make recycled aggregate for pipe bedding as well as sand

Tyres

Tyres are shredded and can be turned into small rubber chips to be used for alternative fuels and drainage projects. Larger chips can be used for landscape projects, children’s play areas, and for larger scale equestrian and sports projects.

Renew: Give items a second life

Renew creates value from waste to benefit Greater Manchester. It’s a joint initiative between R4GM & SUEZ UK. We take items donated at recycling centres across Greater Manchester, then we repair and renew them at our Renew Hub, ready to be resold to a new home. Browse our wide range of pre-loved items by visiting our Renew Shops or online shop.

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS