Recycle your unwanted clothes
It’s not all bad news; together, we can make a difference!
Our planet is changing, and while there are challenges, there’s also plenty of hope! The good news? Each of us has the power to create a positive impact; even small changes, when multiplied across millions of people, can lead to a massive difference and if you recycle your unwanted clothes that can really help too.
The 2024 waste problem…and how we are fighting back
- 215 million tonnes of waste was produced in the UK;
- 28 tonnes of which is produced by households;
- And 1.3 million tonnes of waste is produced on average by every single person annually.
Recycling rates in 2024
- 67% of total cardboard and paper waste is recycled in the UK;
- 59% of garden waste is recycled or composted;
- 41% of metal waste is recycled in the UK;
- 48% of glass waste gets recycled in the UK;
- 16% of textiles end up being recycled;
- Just 10% of plastic waste is recycled in the UK;
- 19% of food waste is composted.
As the percentages show, we still need to do more to reduce our waste and increase how much we recycle.
Household waste in 2024
- 22% is paper and cardboard;
- 18% is food waste;
- 14% is plastics waste;
- 13% is garden waste;
- 8% is textiles;
- 5% is glass waste;
- 3% is metal waste;
- 17% is other materials.
[Statistics source: wastedirect.co.uk]
But here’s the bright side: we’ve already made incredible progress! In the last decade, the UK has stepped up its recycling efforts in a big way. Back in 2000, only 11% of household waste was recycled, so these figures show good progress.
How Kids Just Recycle is helping
At Kids Just Recycle, we believe that making recycling simple and accessible is the key to success. That’s why we partner with schools across the UK to provide FREE school-branded clothing bins, helping pupils and their families recycle unwanted clothes and household textiles with ease…and you can earn up to £400 per reusable tonne we collect! But we don’t stop there! The items we collect are sorted, reused or sent to poorer communities, offering support to those in need. We also donate warm clothing to our homeless charity partner HandsOn London ensuring that those facing hardship stay warm during the colder months.
Proof that positive change is happening!
The end of coal in the UK: The UK closed its last coal-fired power plant in 2024. It was a symbolic moment as the UK was the first country in the world to use coal for public power generation and the fossil fuel was the lifeblood of the industrial revolution.
Baby Sumatran elephant highlights conversation progress: Conservation efforts around the world are helping endangered species by protecting nature now and in the future. The recent birth of a Sumatran elephant calf at Way Kambas National Park in Indonesia marks important progress in conserving this critically endangered species. Sumatran elephants are considered to be on the brink of extinction.
Bee happy: Pollinators, such as bees, play a critical ecosystem role. Around the world, bees pollinate almost 90% of wild plants. But as we know, bees are in danger. By protecting bees, we can help protect entire ecosystems.
A herd of wild bulls are being reintroduced into Scottish Highlands: In 2026, 15 wild bulls are going to be reintroduced. This monumental conservation project will hopefully help restore biodiversity, store carbon, and enhance eco-tourism. This project, led by Trees for Life, aims to replicate the ecological role of the aurochs, an ancient, extinct species that thrived in Europe for millennia. This rewilding is a huge step in the world of conservation and will hopefully inspire similar projects around the world.
Join us in making 2025 even greener!
We’ve already come so far, but there’s still more to do. Let’s make 2025 a year of even bigger environmental wins! Want to get involved? Call us today to arrange a FREE recycling bin for your school. Together, we can turn waste into opportunity and build a more sustainable future for all!
Blog written by www.wendyjenningscreative.co.uk
KIDS JUST RECYCLE
