What happens to our recycling
- Collection
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All the recycling collected from homes in Hampshire is delivered to a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), ready to be sorted. It is fed onto conveyor belts where staff remove any items we can't recycle.
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- Separation by size
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The recycling then enters two large spinning drums which separate smaller items such as cans and plastic bottles from larger ones like newspapers. The smaller items then pass over a screen to remove any small contaminants (items that can't be recycled).
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- Separation by type
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Sets of magnets pull out the steel and aluminium cans, leaving just the plastic bottles and small paper products.
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- Light sensors
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Light sensors separate the plastic from the paper, then the paper from any remaining contaminants. Larger paper items are also separated using light sensors.
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- Baling
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Once everything has been separated, the items are baled for easier handling and are loaded onto lorries, ready to be sent off to be recycled. Some materials are reprocessed in the UK, and some are exported to sustainable markets.
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