When you think of a recycling centre, you probably don’t imagine a place where nature is thriving. But you might be in for a surprise. In Greater Manchester, we saw the potential in these spaces and have made it our mission to make room for nature at our waste and recycling sites.
Creating homes for insects
Our Sustainability Champions are always on the lookout for spaces to give back to nature. We’re on a mission to install planters, bug hotels or wildflowers at all 20 recycling centres in Greater Manchester. Many already boast habitats for critters.
85,000 honey bees call recycling centres home after we created hives at two sites. The bees work hard pollinating local plants which keeps the cycle of life turning. A by-product of their hard work is delicious local honey. This liquid gold sells out incredibly quickly, but if you’re lucky you might be able to find a jar in our Renew shops.
Closing the loop on food
Did you know all the food and garden waste you recycle at home is turned into compost in the North West? Because it’s made up of food scraps the compost is packed with microorganisms and nutrients which help enrich the soil it’s added to. Most of the compost is used to grow wheat on farms close by, which gets turned into bread. Producing food locally means it doesn’t need to be transported on fuel-guzzling planes, ships and trains so has a much smaller environmental impact.
The Recycle for Greater Manchester Community Fund is a pot of money awarded to amazing local projects. Some of the projects have a direct impact on improving biodiversity, like Caritas Dioceses of Salford who transform leftover school dinners into nutrient rich compost. The compost is then used to grow more food on their allotments which is given to people in the local community who struggle to access fresh food.
Turning ex-landfills into forests
Waste management has changed. Nowadays, very little waste from households in Greater Manchester goes to landfill sites. These sites were closed and covered with topsoil decades ago. Although the unruly weeds and grass that started growing on top did offer some protection to natural wildlife like insects, we knew much more could be done to encourage biodiversity in these spaces. We’ve transformed two landfill sites that have been out of use for over 40 years into forests where nature can thrive.
In Spring 2024, City of Trees planted over 750 trees at the sites in Rochdale and Stockport. All the plants introduced are native species and have been carefully curated to harmoniously coexist whilst attracting a broad mix of mammals, birds, and insects.
These new forests will join up with existing woodlands around the sites to create nature corridors for animals to move through and live in. The ex-landfill sites are already home to a wide variety of wildlife including rabbits, roe deer and foxes, with water voles, bats and a huge variety of bird species living in the woodlands close by.
As well as creating a welcoming habitat for animals, the new forests are already starting to absorb CO2. This is a positive step towards achieving our bold ambition to decarbonise waste and recycling sites. The decarbonation project is part of the Five Year Environment Plan which is striving for a carbon neutral city region by 2038.
Why is biodiversity so important?
Biodiversity impacts everything we need to survive. Microorganisms enrich the soil where we grow our food. Roots from trees and plants hold the earth together preventing landslides and absorb water to avoid floods. Even the air you’re breathing right now has been improved by plants filtering the toxins out.
A recent report into the State of Nature analysed our local environment and found a shocking decline in biodiversity. Nearly half of biodiversity in the UK has been wiped out since the industrial revolution. More pollution, more buildings, more humans, meant less space for nature.
Things are so severe the UK is ranked in the worst 10% of all countries for biodiversity. Which isn’t hard to believe as 1 in 4 mammals in the UK are facing extinction.
The Government has made a commitment to stop the loss of biodiversity by 2030. It will also protect 30% of land to support nature’s recovery. The GMCA is working on a Biodiversity Action Plan that’ll set out how we’ll contribute to the national biodiversity commitments.
The good news is we are already working to improve biodiversity in our city-region. Small actions, just like small creatures, can make a big difference. We’re continuing to protect and encourage biodiversity at the 22 waste and recycling sites in Greater Manchester, whilst providing support and funding for projects that nurture nature in our city region.
Based next to the lake in Platt Fields Park, the Bike Hub has been working hard over the past few months to get old bikes back on the road, while at the same time giving refugees a way to get around the city.
We caught up with Zym to find out how the R4GM Community Fund has made a difference to their project.
What was the inspiration behind the project?
“The people that are using our workshop are predominantly low-income customers and there has been quite a big demand for bikes. We’ve been approached several times by aid organisations who work with refugees so see if we could help. It’s been the focus for this project to enable people to have their bikes fixed for less than they would normally have to pay or have it done for free.
“It’s a big boost to cyclists in general but particularly for people who struggle to pay for public transport and accommodation. If money’s tight, having a bike for free and knowing it’s safe to ride, whether you’re going to the job centre or an interview, we believe cycling is definitly helping people on low incomes.”
How has the R4GM Community Fund helped with your aims and ambitions?
“It has allowed us to give more attention to this section of our community and allocate appropriate resources towards it. We have been able to increase staff hours to get the bikes ready, and we’re also able to attract a bit more interest from the community in terms of bikes donated towards us. Internally as an organisation, our focus to provide refugees with bikes has meant that we have now allocated time and effort specifically to support that group.”
What has the impact been on the community as a result of the project?
“The feedback we have been getting from people who have received bikes from us is overwhelmingly positive and everyone is so happy that they have been taken care of in that respect. It means a lot to us as well, it’s very valuable and it feels quite rewarding that you are helping someone who has maybe had help refused before. So just based on that positive feedback we can see that there’s definitly a glimmer of hope and kindness and humanity going..
“It’s difficult to say how long term this will affect the community, but even if we can help a handful of people that’s a handful of people less who are struggling to get about Manchester. We’ve dispensed about 13 bikes so far. We pledged about 35 so we’re kind of mid-way through, but I also feel like this is the winter period and we’ll get probably more interest later on in the year. We’re still trying to link up with other organisations to help us reach those in need. Our focus now is getting the bikes ready for the refugees. Mid way through, I think we’re on track.”
Has there been a specific moment that you feel most proud of?
“Adil, a refugee from Uzbekistan, he’s one of the people who gravitated towards us and he wanted to volunteer with us. We were happy that he wanted to spend some time with us, learn a few things about fixing bikes. Hopefully it might lead to employment for him, I’m not sure if it’s possible to offer him employment at this stage as his English is quite limited but we can see he has the knack for mechanics and if his English gets better I’m sure he’ll be able to find employment in a bike shop. The good thing is helping him to get his English up to speed as for most refugees, not all, communication can be a barrier.”
What do you plan to do next?
“We’re going to try and carry on with our own fundraising efforts to continue the programme with refugee bikes in the future. The grant fund that we received helped us to identify the need, get links with relevant organisations and we will look at carrying on so where we know where to go with additional funding, and improving our own fundraising and marketing so we can get dedicated mechanics just for that.”
How can people get involved with the project?
“There are ways of donating, you can find out how to donate on our Facebook, Instagram and our website. We are welcoming anyone who has an old bike who wants to get rid of, so they don’t have to scrap it. We might be able to save parts from it or might be able to do it up and give it to someone who will love that bike. Currently, we’re not open to anyone for bike mechanic volunteering unless they are trained mechanics, or they’re looking to get into the profession and want to get a few more hours on the spanners so they can learn and hopefully help us fix some bikes.
“At the moment, we have two volunteers but that’s peak capacity for us to be able to do what we do and train. If there’s organisations or individuals who know someone who needs a bike definitely send them to us, we’ll try to do our best to sort them out with a bike. The best way to do that is either to ringing us, or pop in. If they need a bike, they need to be sized up so we can make sure we have a suitable bike. If the individuals live far away, maybe it’s best to call or reach out on social media first.”
Do you have an idea for a project? Apply for funding now!
£220,000 available for projects which help to reduce, reuse, or recycle household waste, and generate wider social benefits for their communities in Greater Manchester
Community, voluntary and faith groups, schools, colleges, universities, charities and other non-profit organisations encouraged to apply for the funding for their innovative projects
The Recycle for Greater Manchester Community Fund is open for applications from 8 April.
Groups passionate about reducing waste and increasing recycling across Greater Manchester can now apply for a slice of Recycle for Greater Manchester’s £220,000 Community funding pot for their innovative projects.
The fund, now in its fourth year, has already supported 66 projects which have brought fresh ideas on how to tackle traditional waste challenges from repairing electronics to reducing food waste. Past projects have included community grocers on wheels to redistribute potential food waste, repair cafes helping people to repair their old items, initiatives that provide used children’s items to families struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and much more.
Two different award categories for the fund are available:
£180,000 will be divided between projects that benefit individual Greater Manchester boroughs, with a maximum funding of £10,000 per project.
£40,000 of funding will be open to projects that span two or more boroughs, or Greater Manchester as a whole, with a maximum funding of £20,000 per project.
Applications are open from noon on Monday 8 April 2024 to noon on Friday 31 May 2024.
Eamonn Boylan, Chief Executive of Greater Manchester Combined Authority, said: “The community fund helps to empower Greater Manchester communities to take action and make real change. We have already been able to support so many amazing projects which are helping to repair items, reduce, recycle and reuse waste across Greater Manchester.
“Collectively, these projects really do make a difference to improving our communities, reducing our carbon emissions and overall environmental impact. I would encourage all eligible groups who are considering or even currently working on new and exciting projects to apply for the fund.”
Electronic waste is the fastest growing source of waste in the UK, with millions of wasted electrical items in homes across the UK. One project, run by Community Computers, received £10,000 from the last round of funding in 2023, powering them to meet the challenges of e-waste and digital inclusion head-on.
Chris Bennett, Project Manager at Community Computers (Renewal North West) said:
“Our work at Community Computers is dedicated to tackling digital exclusion through the reuse of tech devices across Greater Manchester. The support from Recycle for Greater Manchester Community Fund has allowed us to really engage, educate and inform within our communities on the reuse of unwanted devices, so that we can repair, refurbish and reuse laptops, desktops, smart phones and tablets.
“Within the last six months alone, we’ve received over 3,000 devices. Not only is this preventing them from going to waste but it is also allowing us to support our community with low-cost and free tech to help bridge the digital divide.”
The Community Fund is a joint initiative between Recycle for Greater Manchester (R4GM) and SUEZ recycling and recovery UK. The fund is one of 54 social value commitments SUEZ has made to support Greater Manchester’s move towards a more circular economy.
The fund is supported by the sales of pre-loved household items that have been donated at the Household Waste Recycling Centres, cleaned and repaired and sold at three Renew shops, eBay shop, pop-up shops and online store. To date, the shops have sold over 232,000 items that otherwise would have gone to waste.
Daniel Carolan, Contract Director for SUEZ in Greater Manchester, said: “At SUEZ, we aim to make sure that all our work benefits people and the planet.
“The Renew project in Greater Manchester is a perfect example of this, saving items that would have previously gone to waste and benefiting local people at the same time.
“Over the last three years money raised by Renew has supported 66 projects across Greater Manchester and I’m excited to see what applications we receive this year.”
R4GM will be hosting webinars where they will be talking through the criteria for the Community Fund, the application process, key dates, and answering any questions groups may have on 16 April and 8 May.
To find out more about the workshops, Community Fund or to apply online for the fund, please visit Recycle for Greater Manchester and Greater Manchester Environment Fund website.
• More than £1m raised by Greater Manchester residents through Renew scheme
• Shopping at Renew helps to raise funds for local communities across Greater Manchester
• Renew opened its first three shops in 2021, before opening online to raise more money for good causes
Greater Manchester residents have raised more than £1million for local good causes by donating their unwanted household items and buying second hand instead of new through the Renew project.
The Renew scheme – which launched in 2021 as three shops based at recycling centres in Altrincham, Irlam and Oldham – sells items, from bikes to white goods, donated by residents at their local recycling centres. By reusing these items, the project not only saves them from going to waste, but in turn creates a source of good quality second hand products for a fraction of the price of new ones, helping residents to save money during the cost-of-living crisis.
The money raised in the shops, and now online through the eBay store, is channelled into the Recycle for Greater Manchester Community Fund and the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity. Through the Community Fund, 66 projects across the city-region have received a total of £660,000, with a further £300,000 donated to the Mayor’s Charity to combat homelessness across the city-region.
Community Fund projects combine creative ways of increasing recycling through community-led activities and programmes, such as repair cafes, composting workshops, textile upcycling, cookery courses and even a podcast.
Rachel Parkinson, from Humans MCR, said: “This fund is so vital in the success and continuation of our Community Grocers on-wheels project. The project takes food that would otherwise go to waste, and redistributes it to those in our communities who are struggling to afford their weekly food shop with rising supermarket prices.
“We know that the climate crisis and food poverty are such pressing issues at the moment, which is why we are taking a two-pronged approach by reducing waste and hunger one delivery at a time.”
The Renew Hub, operated by SUEZ recycling and recovery UK as part of the GMCA waste contract, has its central location in Trafford Park for sorting, repairing and upcycling the hundreds of tonnes of donations that come in from the 20 recycling centres across Greater Manchester. SUEZ have created new green jobs in the waste sector as a result of this, including retail, visual merchandising, and interior design, as well as recently employing two new furniture restoration apprentices, who will receive on the job training to upcycle and repair pre-loved items.
Dan Carolan, SUEZ Greater Manchester Contract Director, said: “It is a fantastic achievement to reach £1m in revenue since the Renew project launched. I’d like to thank Greater Manchester residents for donating items and shopping with Renew, as without their support none of this would be possible.”
Fran Darlington-Pollock, Chief Executive from Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity, said: “Every time someone in Greater Manchester donates goods into Renew, or purchases from them, they are playing their part in a collective mission to tackle homelessness and end the need for rough sleeping.
“Without this support Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity would not be where we are today. We offer a lifeline to so many charities working with people experiencing, or at risk of homelessness and rough sleeping, and those charities are themselves a lifeline that cannot be lost.”
Cllr Tom Ross, GMCA lead for the Environment, Waste and Recycling, said: “Greater Manchester is leading the way as we shift our mindset from seeing the things we no longer want as waste, and instead as a valuable resource that can be reused, repurposed or recycled.
“Greater Manchester residents have been instrumental in the success of the Renew project and with their help, I believe we can build a thriving, green and sustainable economy for the future.”
The scheme depends on Greater Manchester residents donating items at their local recycling centres and shopping at Renew in store and online. Christmas is a key time of year for Renew and the charities it supports, and Greater Manchester residents can continue to support the success of Renew by donating at their local recycling centre.
They can also shop at one of the three locations:
Woodhouse Lane Recycling Centre:
Woodhouse Lane, Altrincham, WA14 5TB
Arkwright Street Recycling Centre:
Arkwright Street, Oldham, OL9 9LZ
Boysnope Wharf Recycling Centre:
Liverpool Road, Eccles, M30 7RH
Or shop click and collect by visiting:
The eBay page for vintage and upcycled items: Ebay.co.uk/str/renewgreatermanchester
The online shop for affordable everyday items: renewgreatermanchester.com
The mince pies have been eaten, the last of your festive guests have finally left. Christmas is over. But what do you do with that increasingly patchy tree, dropping pine needles all over your carpet? After being such an important part of the festive period, your Christmas tree deserves a proper send off. Whether it is real or artificial, take off all decorations.
Don’t throw your Christmas tree in your general waste bin – no matter if it’s real or artificial – there are a few ways to recycle it in Greater Manchester.
You can take your Christmas tree to any of the 20 recycling centres in Greater Manchester for free so there will be on in your area. Just make sure you transport your tree safely. You can also get rid of your artificial trees and any unwanted decorations too.
If you’re planning on using a van, pick-up truck or a twin-axle trailer to dispose of your tree, you need to apply for a permit. Get it as soon as possible, don’t leave it too late!
You can register for your real tree to be collected right from your front door for in exchange for a small donation to local charity, Just Helping. Once collected, your tree will be made into woodchips and used on flower beds and paths in local parks and gardens.
Just Helping collect Christmas trees from across Greater Manchester, including Bury, Bolton, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside and Trafford. You can register your collection between the 15th November until 10th January.
Just Helping launched in 2012, the Christmas tree collection project has grown from a local effort into a nationwide campaign raising a whopping £5.6 million of vital funds for charities across the UK.
In 2024, the Greater Manchester collection raised £94,861.86 for St Ann’s Hospice, Francis House, Children’s Hospice, WeloveMCR and other charities in Greater Manchester. But it’s not only the charities that benefit. Recycling real Christmas trees prevents 82,112kg of carbon dioxide emissions being released.
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Here’s everything you need to know to stay sustainable during your Seder and spring cleaning.
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READ MOREThe average UK household throws away more than half the food they buy for the festive period. Bad for your wallet, bad for the planet. But all is not lost. We’ve got the tips you need to make festive food waste the Ghost of Christmas Past.
This festive period we’ve decided to get together a quick guide with our top tips to save money on your festive meals.
Top of the list of binned foods at Christmas are cheese, biscuits, chocolate, vegetables and mince pies. Sound familiar? If you buy brussels sprouts and end up binning them year after year, maybe it’s time to leave them on the supermarket shelf this Christmas.
You can make your food last longer if you store it properly or freeze it, to see what else is being wasted visit What foods can I freeze? | Good Food.
One way to avoid buying too much at Christmas is to get organised:
Most festive foods can be frozen. If nobody can face another turkey sandwich on Boxing Day, store it in your freezer and it’ll help make a new meal in the new year.
Bung extra vegetables, that cheeseboard you can’t face looking at, or the vat of leftover gravy in the freezer. Cakes like mince pies and stollen last for ages once frozen. You could still be enjoying festive treats at Easter if you store your leftovers properly.
Love Food Hate Waste have everything you need to know on storing food safely.
There are so many Christmas recipes out there to inspire you to make the most of your festive menu. We love Instagram, TikTok, Hubbub and swear by BBC Food.
Some old favourites like turkey curry, vegetable pies, and leftover veg soups never go out of style. But making a cheesy pasta from the leftover cheese board can be fun too.
There’s no getting away from some food waste during the holidays. Put vegetable peelings, plate scrapings and the many, many tea bags from visitors in your food and garden bin.
All of your food and garden waste will be turned into compost in Greater Manchester – find out more about what happens to your food and garden waste.
You can also find more general tips on reducing your food waste.
Shop our range of handpicked, vintage and preloved items via our online store or eBay page to find something truly special.
You can shop in person too – pop into one of our shops at the recycling centres in Altrincham, Irlam and Oldham for a selection of affordable decorations, kitchenware and furniture.
All of the items we sell have been donated by Greater Manchester residents at our recycling centres, and the money raised goes to good causes across the city-region through our Community Fund and the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity.
Many of the items in our shops are barely used, and some are even brand new.
…And much more!
Here’s everything you need to know to stay sustainable during your Seder and spring cleaning.
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Here’s everything you need to know to stay sustainable during your Seder and spring cleaning.
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READ MOREThis Recycle Week, Recycle Now and Recycle For Greater Manchester (R4GM) are challenging Greater Manchester residents to take part in The Big Recycling Hunt.
“The Big Recycling Hunt”, the central theme of this year’s campaign, promises to shine a bright spotlight on “missed capture”. This nationwide hunt aims to engage people in the quest to find “lost recyclables” that too often find their way into the general waste bin.
By focusing on commonly missed items such as empty aerosols, plastic cleaning product bottles, plastic toiletry bottles, and food tins, Recycle Now wants to foster a deeper understanding of recycling for Recycle Week this year, which runs from 16 to 22 October. This year’s fun activities are designed to engage children and families and empower the youth to become active participants in building a sustainable future.
In Greater Manchester, R4GM are hosting a jam-packed week with 10 events over five days across their visitor centres and online. R4GM will be running education sessions for schools, universities, and businesses, encouraging them to recycle household items that are regularly missed.
The week will finish with an interactive Big Recycling Hunt at the Renew Hub where Salford’s Holy Family Catholic Primary School will search for hidden recyclable treasures across the space. The Renew Hub is where items donated at recycling centres are repaired and upcycled then sold to raise money for the Greater Manchester’s Mayor’s Charity and community projects. The children will have the chance to design a chair and see it re-upholstered, with one lucky student’s design being brought to life by the Renew Hub team.
Some local landmarks will also be lit in green to show support for Recycle Week, including the Tower of Light in Manchester – people are encouraged to share pictures on social media using the #RecycleWeek and #BigRecyclingHunt hashtags.
Cllr Tom Ross, GMCA lead for the Green City- Region and waste and recycling, said: “We’re delighted to be supporting Recycle Week 2023 across Greater Manchester. We’re proud that Greater Manchester has a recycling rate of over 50% which is one of the highest performing city regions in England, but there’s always room for improvement. The Big Recycling Hunt is a great way to educate and inspire our residents.
“If every Greater Manchester household recycled just one more item, over a million more items would be saved from general waste and have the chance to be recycled into something useful. Let’s work together to hunt down those often forgotten about items and recycle as much as we can.”
Harriet Lamb, CEO of WRAP, said: “The importance of this initiative extends beyond Recycle Week. By empowering children with the knowledge and tools to become recycling advocates, we are not only nurturing the future but also ensuring a healthier and more sustainable world for all. Join us in celebrating Recycle Week and empowering the next generation of environmental champions!”
Throughout the month of October, R4GM are running the #InTheLoopGM campaign, encouraging residents to recycle items at home and keep them in the loop for as long as possible. It’s important to keep things in the recycling loop because Earth’s resources are finite and materials to make products, including glass and metal that we can recycle at home, are in danger of running out. Not only does recycling mean fewer materials need to be mined, but it also takes much less energy to recycle items than to make new ones.
Most Greater Manchester recycling stays local, and is recycled right here in the North of England:
Top tips for recycling in Greater Manchester:
To find out more about Recycle Week visit www.recyclenow.org.uk
Repair your clothes with these five hacks.
Save yourself money and keep your favourite items in your wardrobe rotation with these super easy hacks.
Making textiles is massively resource intensive: it takes 2,700 litres of water to make a t-shirt, which is as much drinking water as 1 person needs for 2.5 years! If we all doubled the number of times we wore an item of clothing, we would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 44%. These hacks will help you repair your clothes, so you can wear them for as long as possible.
If you don’t have the time to make repairs, you can support a sustainable business and get them to extend the life of your clothes. Here are our favourites:
Here’s everything you need to know to stay sustainable during your Seder and spring cleaning.
READ MORE
Here’s everything you need to know to stay sustainable during your Seder and spring cleaning.
READ MORE
If you’re preparing to observe in the Holy month of Ramadan this year you are probably busy planning on self-reflection, donating and family time. And eating, of course. Here’s our guide to staying sustainable this Ramadan…
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