THE partnership responsible for bin collections across the borough won an award for a campaign to cut out inappropriate items from residents' blue bins.

One Trafford Partnership, a collaboration between Trafford Council and Amey, won Best Small Campaign of the Year at the National Recycling Awards.

The campaign, called Paper Blues, ran from July 2020 to October 2020 after the first six months of the same year saw more than 275 tons of refused recycling due to the inclusion of inappropriate items such a cake, carpets and plastic bags.

This cost One Trafford Partnership around £24,800.

Paper Blues involved the distribution of leaflets to residents in areas with the most refused recycling.

Over the course of the three-month campaign, the number of lorry loads turned away from the sorting centre came down almost 75 per cent.

Responding to the award, Cllr Stephen Adshead, Trafford Council’s executive member for environmental and regulatory services, said: "Congratulations to the One Trafford team for this fantastic win.

"Achieving a National Recycling Award for Best Small Campaign of the Year couldn’t have been done without the brilliant efforts of Trafford residents, who took quick action in changing their habits.

"We all know recycling the best we can is better for the environment and the wider world, but it also benefits us all closer to home. By recycling correctly, you are helping the ,council to save money which can be spent on vital local services."

Corin Williams, editor of Materials Recycling World, the organiser of the award, added: "The judges were bowled over this year by the breadth and depth of the entries.

"It is amazing to see just how committed people can be.

"In the wake of a growing worldwide push to conserve, reuse and recycle our resources, the National Recycling Award winners are showing what can be achieved."

For information about Paper Blues and what items go into the blue bin, go to trafford.gov.uk/bluebin.