Brighton & Hove council has collaborated with recyclers ReWorked to station PPE recycling bins and hand sanitiser stations around the city centre. The collection bins can be found in busy hotspots such as the SEA LIFE Centre, Komedia and i360.
They are making the area the first council in the UK to offer PPE recycling to its constituents. The scheme has been backed and funded by the Government, and European Union’s ‘Welcome Back’ fund, designed to help seaside resorts and city centres bounce back from covid safely.
Residents and visitors can use the bins to dispose of any single-use PPE items, including facemasks, visors, gloves and lateral flow tests.
Councillor Jamie Lloyd, said facemasks had contributed noticeably to litter on the streets, particularly in busy areas of the city. “It’s a particular concern on our seafront and beaches where the masks can make their way into the sea, causing further harm to marine wildlife.”
“But we are delighted to be working with Reworked to collect used and unwanted masks and other PPE, removing them from the waste stream for recycling.”
Once the bins are full, the waste PPE is taken to ReWorked’s facilities, where it’s turned into furniture, shelters and – it appears – PPE bins.
ReWorked says its ethos is to provide an effective solution to waste plastic – material usually considered non-recyclable – and to divert it from landfill, incineration, or littering the environment.
