Recycle Week 2026: Mid Ulster urges residents to rescue recyclables

Billions of recyclable items still put in wrong bins

Each year, billions of items that could be recycled are placed in the wrong bins across the UK.

Correct recycling means materials can be recovered and reused rather than being lost through general waste.

Recycle Week 2026 is therefore encouraging households to “rescue” recyclable items which might otherwise end up in rubbish bins.

The campaign features several recyclable characters designed to demonstrate what common household items can become after recycling.

They include:

• Shampers the shampoo bottle – which could become a plastic garden chair.
• Spritz the perfume bottle – which could return as a champagne bottle.
• Rolly the toilet roll tube – which could be turned into a notebook.
• Deo the aerosol – which could become part of a bicycle.
• Trigger the cleaning spray bottle – which can become another spray bottle.
• Yogi the yoghurt pot – which could return as another yoghurt pot.
• Ally the kitchen foil – which could be recycled into part of a car engine.

Mid Ulster residents encouraged to ‘Recycle Right’

Mid Ulster District Council says the district remains one of Northern Ireland’s leading council areas for recycling.

However, residents are being reminded that many recyclable household products are still being placed in black bins.

The council has issued five simple tips to help residents Recycle Right during Recycle Week 2026.

1. Keep blue-bin recycling clean and dry

Items placed in your blue recycling bin should be clean and dry before they are recycled.

2. Leave bottle and jar lids attached

Residents should replace lids and tops on plastic bottles and glass bottles or jars.

Keeping them attached to the container helps ensure they are recycled.

3. Remove spray triggers and soap pumps

Triggers from cleaning spray bottles and pumps from hand-soap containers cannot be recycled with the bottle.

Remove the trigger or pump before placing the empty container in your blue bin.

4. Remember recyclable items throughout the house

Recycling is not limited to the kitchen.

Residents are encouraged to recycle items including:

• Shampoo bottles from bathrooms
• Toilet roll tubes
• Magazines from living rooms
• Other suitable packaging from around the home

5. Use your food waste caddy

Householders should also use their kitchen caddy to recycle food waste.

Food waste can be placed loose in the brown bin or collected using biodegradable bags.

It can also be wrapped in newspaper or kitchen roll before being placed in the brown bin.