2024 Hacks: Mastering Household Waste Disposal

As we step into 2024, mastering household waste disposal is not just a responsible choice but a necessity for a sustainable future. Understanding the different types of waste streams is the first step towards successful household waste management. Waste classification into organic, recyclable, and non-recyclable components sets the foundation for effective disposal techniques.

What is considered household waste?

The waste produced in households, and similar waste produced by businesses, is also called municipal waste or Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). Household waste is a diverse category encompassing general, recyclable, and organic waste collected directly at kerbside and back door, or brought to waste collection centres like bring banks, civic amenity sites, and pay-to-use compactors.

According to Ireland’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last report, in 2021, out of a substantial 1.84 million tonnes of household waste that were generated in the state, 1.81 million tonnes was managed. However, an estimated 25,700 tonnes remained unmanaged, emphasising the need for continued investments in waste management solutions to address this issue.

Although MSW accounts for just around 10% of total waste generated across the EU, it is difficult to manage since it comprises several streams, including general waste, mixed dry recycling, and organic waste, as well as a high number of producers.

Disposing of household waste

Every household is entitled to a general and a recycling bin from a waste collector. If a customer lives in an area of 500 people or more, they are entitled to general, recycling and organic waste bins. Waste collection providers usually have a colour-coded system for separating household waste. At Barna Recycling, for example, we have black, blue, and brown bins.

• See what goes in your Black Bin (General waste)
• See what goes in your Blue Bin (Recycling waste)
• See what goes in your Brown Bin (Organic waste)

Even though bins are colour-coded and customers are provided with information regarding household waste disposal management, contamination of bins is still a big issue, with recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) figures indicating that 20% of the material in household recycling bins should not be there, and significant 70% of the material in general waste bins from the commercial sector should be in recycling or organic bins.

This translates into a substantial loss of resource value—a costly oversight for both households and businesses. However, proper waste segregation can be the solution to lower waste charges and safeguard investments in local treatment capabilities.

TIP: Ensure you maximise the space in your bins by breaking down waste before you put it in. This is especially important for the recycling bin. Cardboard boxes and packaging can quickly take up a lot of space, so be sure to break down bulkier items. Remember that overflowing bins or items left out beside your bins may not be taken away.

**If your bin is overflowing well in advance of your collection day, call the Barna Customer Care Team on 091 771619 to discuss your options. 

How to dispose of household hazardous waste?

Embarking on the journey of proper household waste disposal begins with a critical first step – the identification of hazardous waste lurking within the confines of your home. Everyday items take on a hazardous identity, the most common being pesticides, batteries, fluorescent light bulbs, paints, solvents, and various cleaning agents.

The key is not just recognition but the meticulous segregation of these potentially harmful materials. You can either find a local drop-off location like our Civic Amenity Centres – see items accepted – or, depending on the case, bring the item back to the place where it was purchased. You can also check EPA’s guide to hazardous waste prevention.

Some hazardous items include:

• Waste Paint/ Paint Thinners/ Strippers
• White Spirit Creosotes
• Adhesives/Glues
• Aerosols Waste
• Antifreeze/Coolants
• Bleaches
• Chemicals with Identification Labels
• Cleaning Agents
• Detergents
• Engine Oils
• Epoxy Resins
• Herbicides/ Pesticides
• Medicines
• Pharmacy Waste
• Silicones

TIP: Since batteries cannot be disposed of at home, you must bring them back to the place where they were purchased or to a Civic Amenity Site. Electrical items such as chargers also need to be disposed of correctly. They need to be returned to where they were purchased or should be brought to a WEEE drop-off recycling point or your local Civic Amenity Site to be disposed of. Learn more about how to dispose of WEEE the right way.

Household waste recycling centres

A recycling centre, also known as civic amenity site, is an EPA-licensed drive-in facility fully equipped and designed to recycle a wide range of household products. These facilities take bagged household waste, food waste, and bulky items, such as furniture, for disposal.

Not all types of hazardous waste are accepted in these centres, so for details on the types of waste material accepted and any charges that may apply you should check with the waste collection provider.

You can learn more about Barna Recycling’s Recycling Centres here.

Ready to master household waste disposal and lower your costs with waste management In 2024?

Mastering household waste disposal in 2024 goes beyond individual actions—it’s about embracing a holistic approach that also entails conscious consumer choices, including a waste collection provider that helps you navigate the challenges of waste management for a more sustainable future.

Barna Recycling is Connacht’s leading provider of waste management services, providing a professional, reliable and environmentally friendly service. Join Ireland’s number one environmentally friendly waste collection provider and enjoy the peace of mind that we will recycle what you throw away.

References:

Household Waste Statistics for Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency. https://www.epa.ie/our-services/monitoring–assessment/waste/national-waste-statistics/household/#:~:text=Household%20waste%20includes%20general%20waste,pay%2Dto%2Duse%20compactors.

A Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy – Ireland’s National Waste Policy 2020-2025, Government of Ireland. https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/86647/dcf554a4-0fb7-4d9c-9714-0b1fbe7dbc1a.pdf#page=null

Christmas Recycling Facts and Top 4 Tips To Reduce Waste this Holiday Season

As the festive season approaches, the spirit of giving and celebration is accompanied by a surge in consumption, where waste volumes increase due to more grocery shopping, the giving and receiving of gifts, decorations and more. This blog explores Christmas recycling facts and practical tips on how to reduce waste during the most awaited time of the year.

Christmas Recycling Facts We Bet You Didn’t Know

Here are some interesting Christmas recycling facts you should know:

• If a household reuses a plastic tree for up to five years, its carbon footprint will be smaller than a household that buys a real tree every year.
• One ton of recycled Christmas cards can save 15 trees.
• At Christmas time, we use over 1,100 tonnes of wrapping paper, enough to gift wrap the Spire in Dublin over 10 times.
• +30 Million Batteries are sold over Christmas.

Barna Recycling’s Top 4 Tips To Reduce Waste This Holiday Season

1. Recycle Your Christmas Tree

Real Christmas trees can easily be recycled or shredded into chippings and used in parkland areas. Artificial Christmas trees cannot be recycled but can be reused and donated to family, friends, or a local charity shop. If these are not possible, another alternative would be to bring your artificial Christmas trees to a civic amenity site to dispose of. Find your nearest civic amenity site here.

Where to Recycle Christmas Trees?

An artificial Christmas tree is seen as a bulky waste item. It can be brought to your local civic amenity site (except our civic amenity site in Clifden) to be disposed of. Our civic amenity sites will also accept real Christmas trees. Find out more ways on how you can recycle or replant your Christmas tree.

2. Reusing & Recycling Christmas Decorations and Baubles

Recycling Christmas decorations is another effective way of reducing waste. When taking down your decorations, some items may be broken and need to be disposed of. Often items that are deemed to be single-use items can be used again, so before you dispose of everything, take a minute to think if this could be used again next year. It is best to sort through your decorations as you are taking them down.

You can also embrace the beauty of sustainability by choosing decorations that can be reused year after year. Invest in timeless pieces made from durable materials, reducing the need for constant repurchase. When the time comes to refresh your decor, ensure that the materials are recyclable, contributing to a cyclical and eco-conscious festive aesthetic.

3. Mindful Gifting & Christmas Cards

In the quest for the perfect present and Christmas cards, consider options with a minimal ecological impact. Opt for items made from recycled materials and sustainable resources. Another way to reduce waste is by recycling your Christmas cards. It is safe to place the holiday cards you received in your home recycling bin. Any plastic, paper or cardboard design materials are recyclable. However, these may not be recyclable if the card contains glitter or any bulky designs.

4. Saving on Wrapping paper

Try and save any reusable pieces of wrapping paper and store them safely for next year. Save any gift bags that can be used again next year too. But be sure to take off any name tags from the bag!

Besides, stepping away from conventional wrapping paper gives you the chance to explore eco-friendly alternatives. Cloth wraps, reusable gift bags, or even repurposed newspapers can add a touch of creativity while minimizing the environmental strain of single use wrapping paper. Elevate your gift presentation without compromising on sustainability.

EXTRA TIP: Keep An Eye For Batteries and Chargers

Batteries and chargers are considered hazardous waste but are still important components for controllers and children’s toys. Since they cannot be disposed of at home, you must bring them back to where they were purchased or to a civic amenity site. Electrical items such as chargers also need to be disposed of correctly. They need to be returned to where they were purchased or brought to a WEEE drop-off recycling point or your local Civic Amenity Site to be disposed of. Click here for more information on how to dispose of WEEE the right way.

Using Your Household Bins To Dispose of Your Christmas Waste

Boxes

Ensure you maximise the space in your bins by breaking down waste before you put it in. This is especially important for the recycling bin. Cardboard boxes and packaging can quickly take up a lot of space, so be sure to break down bulkier items. Remember that overflowing bins or items left out beside your bins may not be taken away.

As a safety precaution, we always advise our customers not to leave boxes of expensive items, such as new TVs or game consoles, beside their bins, as this may encourage theft. If you do not have space for such boxes, bring them to your local civic amenity site or store them in a shed or garage until you have sufficient room to put them in your bin.

Christmas Cards and Wrapping Paper

When disposing of wrapping paper, the most important thing is to note that not all paper is recyclable. Any wrapping paper containing glitter, foil, or tape will have to go in the waste bin. Similarly, for Christmas cards with excess glitter, ribbons or homemade cards that contain glue must go in the general waste bin. In the case of ribbons, you can also save it and reuse it again for wrapping presents next year.

Christmas Decorations

Items such as tinsel that can’t be used again can be placed in the general waste bin. Fresh wreaths can be put into your compost bin once you take off any non-compostable materials. Broken glass baubles need to be brought to the bottle bank, and lights and electrical appliances that no longer work can be brought to a WEE disposal site. Please note that any electrical items that contain a battery must also have the batteries removed before being disposed of or for safety reasons. Any decorations wholly made of metal should be brought to your local civic amenity site.

If your bin is overflowing well in advance of your collection day, call the Barna Customer Care Team on 091 771619 to discuss your options.

Lower Your Costs With Waste Management In 2024

Barna is Connacht’s leading provider of waste management services, providing a professional, reliable, and environmentally friendly service. Join Ireland’s number one environmentally friendly waste collection provider and enjoy the peace of mind that w

Sorting All Types of Domestic Waste: A Must for Clear-outs

Decluttering your home during the holiday season can be daunting, especially when you’re unsure how or where to dispose of the different types of domestic waste.

From clearing out the massive mess in the shed and old clutter in the attic and sorting out all the unused clothing, old blankets, and bedding to old books, now is the perfect time to deep clean your homes inside and out before the holiday season.

So, how about having a stress & mess-free holiday season? Below, we have outlined our top tips and key information to help you understand what to do with the different types of waste from your home clear out.

Understanding the Types of Domestic Waste

Efficient waste sorting is key for responsible disposal. It not only streamlines the process but also contributes significantly to environmental conservation.

General Household Waste

General household waste spans a broad spectrum, from everyday disposables to non-recyclable plastics. Recognising and categorising this waste is the first step in crafting an effective sorting strategy.

Hazardous Materials

Hazardous items can hide undiscovered among the many types of domestic waste. These pose a substantial risk to both human health and the environment. Identifying and safely disposing of such materials is imperative during clear-outs.

Electronic Waste

The digital age has given rise to a new challenge—electronic waste. Understanding the components of electronic devices and their potential environmental impact is critical for correct and safe disposal. Read our blog on electronic waste to learn more about responsible WEEE disposal.

Effective Sorting Strategies for Home Clear-outs

1. Make correct, responsible use of the designated bins.

Correctly sorting your household disposal and using the designated bins for the different types of domestic waste is the first step to ensuring an effective home clear-out. Ensure you separate hazardous materials and electronic waste.

Not sure of what goes on each bin? See what goes in each Barna Recycling bin.

2. Utilise Recycling Centres

Collaborating with local recycling centres facilitates the responsible disposal of recyclable materials. Barna Recycling’s purpose-built Civic Amenity Sites can assist you greatly when clearing out your home. With seven civic amenity sites across Connacht, we collect a large variety of non-hazardous and recyclable household waste at a reduced cost.

Here are some of the benefits of using one of Barna Recycling’s civic amenity sites.

• They are cost-effective and cheap to use.
• Accept a wide range of items, including hazardous materials.
• They are clean, local, and easily accessible.
• Open on weekends to make them more accessible to all.
• They are well laid out and marked for each waste material.
• Cater for small and large deliveries in the exact location.
• Provide WEEE and Glass Bottle services free of charge.
• Cater for small and large deliveries in the exact location.

3. Integrate Composting in Organic Waste Management

Integrating composting into household waste management significantly reduces the environmental impact of organic waste. Composting not only diverts waste from landfills but also produces nutrient-rich compost for soil enrichment.

More on Barna Recycling’s Sites: Types of Domestic Waste We Accept

Old blankets/ Bedding & Mattresses: Some of our civic amenity sites will also accept any type of clothing, footwear, or textiles, including blankets, at selected civic amenity sites. However, an extra charge would apply for disposing of bedding and mattresses.

Books: Generally, books should be placed in the household recycling bin. However, if you have a large volume of old books, phone books, newspapers, and magazines, you can dispose of them at some of our local civic amenity sites.

Electrical items: You can bring unwanted electrical waste, more commonly known as WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment), such as Computers, Monitors, Mobile Phones, Electronic Toys, Game consoles, Speakers, Headphones and electrical appliances to your local amenity site to dispose of it free of charge.

Old Swing sets and Garden Furniture: If you have an old garden swing or garden furniture still in working condition, you could consider selling it, passing it on to someone else or donating it to local charity shops. You can bring them to your nearest local civic amenity site if they require disposal. Most wood, metal, and plastic furniture are widely accepted and recycled at civic amenity sites. Read our blog on bulk waste disposal.

Need more information on where to dispose of certain items or order a skip? Give us a call today at 091 771619 or fill in our Contact Us form.

Your Guide to Effective Plastic Packaging Waste Disposal

Irish Data from 2021 shows that out of the 372,819 tonnes of plastic packaging generated, only 26,048 were recycled. Almost all remaining plastic packaging was often shipped overseas to Europe for incineration or use by energy plants. Currently, Ireland recycles less than one-third (28 per cent) of all plastic packaging waste, and reaching the recycling targets set by the EU will demand much more effort and commitment from all of us (see graphic below).

Source: https://www.epa.ie

At Barna Recycling, we have invested in technological advancements that allow us to sort, recover and dispose of different plastic materials. However, the efforts of each household are vital for correctly and efficiently managing recycling plastic packaging waste in the country. It will help put Ireland a huge step forward towards achieving the increased packaging recycling targets set by the EU.

Can You Recycle Soft Plastic in Ireland?

The answer is: Yes, you can as long as it is clean!

Soft plastic is any type of plastic that you can scrunch in your hand. Good examples of soft plastic are shrink wrap, plastic carrier bags, toilet roll wrappers, plastic bread bags, zip lock bags, and bubble wrap.

Pulling on the plastic to see if it stretches is a good indicator of whether it is soft and recyclable. This means the plastic is not laminated and can be recycled.

If the plastic doesn’t stretch, this means it’s laminated or coated and, therefore, probably not recyclable. These types of plastic are removed during our sorting process and sent for waste-to-energy recovery. Examples of non-soft plastics are foil-based packaging, netting, polystyrene or foam.

Rigid plastics, such as plastic bottles and food trays, are accepted in the recycling bin. Going forward, households can place all plastic packaging waste, including soft plastic, into the recycling bin if they’re clean, dry and loose.

Remember to place your recycling materials loose, clean, and dry into your bin. Please do not place your recycling items in a plastic bag.

You can always check What Goes in My Blue Bin if you are unsure of items that can be recycled.

Interesting Facts about Plastic

• Until 2020, Irish recycling facilities could only process rigid plastics 
• Plastic makes up 90% of the rubbish in our oceans
• Plastic production uses 8% of the world’s oil production
• Every ton of plastic recycled saves 30 barrels of crude oil
• A plastic bag takes 500 years to break down in a landfill
• Recycling 1 plastic bottle saves the same amount of energy needed to power a 60-watt light bulb for 6 hours

Did you know that many Items can be made from recycled plastic bottles?
From fleece to sleeping bags, backpacks, and dog beds, there are many useful items that can be made from plastic bottles. For example, 25 large plastic soft drink bottles will make 1 Fleece Jacket.

How Does Barna Recycling Process Work?

Our recycling process starts with you. Once your plastic waste is placed in the household recycling bin, our collection crew then collect your recycling bins on the designated day and deliver the waste materials to our EPA-licensed recycling facility. After your waste materials are delivered to our facility, we apply the following process:

• First of all, recycled items are sorted for processing on our picking line.
• The recycled waste is separated into six different categories: paper, cardboard or hard plastics, glass, aluminium & steel cans.
• Our technology also allows us to segregate soft plastics in this same way with the use of advanced optical sorting equipment.
• The recyclable plastic & cardboard waste is baled & shipped abroad to be sold and recycled in European and other markets or used by manufacturers or energy plants.

It’s About Time You Took Action

The world is waking up to climate change, pollution, and resource depletion challenges. Minimise waste, repurpose items and recycle whenever possible. Small changes can yield significant results.

Not a Barna Recycling customer yet? Join today your number one environmentally friendly waste collection provider.

Moving Day Tips: Disposing of Rubbish When Moving Out of Your Student Accommodation

As the exams season and the academic year draw to an end, students are getting ready to head back home for the summer months. However, we at Barna Recycling know that moving in and out of rented student accommodation can be a daunting task. Students often bring back unnecessary items and waste that will never be used again. To avoid this, it’s advisable to do a complete clear-out of your student accommodation before leaving.

We understand that disposing of rubbish can be confusing, especially if you’re unsure of the correct methods. Additionally, figuring out what to do with books, exam papers, and notes you no longer need can also be challenging. You might also be wondering how to dispose of cans, glass bottles, traffic cones, election posters, and other items you may have collected throughout the year. So, instead of bringing all the waste back home in your car, why not do a complete clear-out of your student accommodation? You’ll be surprised how much clutter you can accumulate over the academic year.

To make your moving day hassle-free, we have compiled some of our top tips and tricks for students and parents. These tips will not only help you dispose of your waste properly but also make the process quicker and more efficient. With our tips and tricks, you’ll be able to dispose of everything in an eco-friendly way and ensure a smooth and stress-free moving day.

How can I dispose of my rubbish?

When moving out of your rental accommodation, it is difficult to know which waste items from your home clear out would go into your usual waste bins and what shouldn’t. You want to leave the property as clean as possible as it was when you moved in. This Newsletter will provide valuable tips and tricks for students and parents.

Moving Day Tips For Students

Disposing of old books & papers: If you have old college books in good condition, you can donate them to the college library or request the student’s union to sell them on your behalf. Alternatively, you can pass them on to someone who has signed up to do the same course/subject in the upcoming academic year. If the books can’t be reused, you can put old books in your recycling bin.

Glass Bottles: If you need to dispose of glass bottles, visit your nearest bottle bank. However, make sure they are washed, dried, and separated into brown, clear or green glass.

Cans: once washed can go in your recycling bin too.

Clothes, Bedding & Mattresses: Any type of old clothing, footwear, or textiles, including blankets in unusable condition, can be brought to your local civic amenity sites to be disposed of at a reduced rate. Alternatively, clothes in usable condition that you no longer want can be given to siblings or friends, brought to a charity shop or your nearest clothes bank.

Electronic Waste Disposal: You can bring unwanted electrical waste, more commonly known as WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment), such as Computers, Monitors, Mobile Phones, Electronic Toys, Game consoles, Speakers, Headphones and electrical appliances to your local amenity site to dispose of it free of charge. Check out our blog to find out more about disposing of WEEE items.

Kitchen Items: If you have kitchen items that are in good condition but do not need to be kept, a charity shop would only be delighted to receive them.

How Parents Can Help

• If helping clear out their student accommodation, come prepared with a bucket load of patience, rubber gloves, cleaning items and black bags.
• Help them to decide what items they want to keep and what needs to be thrown out.
• Have a rubbish bag prepared for general waste and one for recycling.
• Try and decide what they want to do with the bulky items first, such as bedclothes, pots and pans, kettles etc. If they are being dumped or recycled, it will save quite a bit of space in the car. If they are being kept, then it will help them to see that there is little room left in the car and to be stricter about what they are keeping.
• Encourage them to go through clothes and dump anything that is well-worn or has holes in it (provided it’s not the good jeans with rips at the knees!)
• To make the process fast and efficient, while the student is sorting through their room, you could be packing up items in the kitchen and cleaning out their presses.
• Encourage them to recycle or sell any old books, notes, clothes, or other useful items, such as a bike, before the moving-out date.
• If the kitchen items are in good condition but do not need to be kept, a charity shop would only be delighted to receive them.
• Many charities often have collection points or van pickups at universities, so make sure to ask or enquire about these services if suitable.

Take Advantage of Your Local Civic Amenity Site

Barna Recycling’s purpose-built Civic Amenity Sites will assist you greatly when moving out of your home. We have seven civic amenity sites across Connacht for your convenience, where you can dispose of a large variety of non-hazardous and recyclable household waste at a reduced cost. Visit our website to find out where your nearest recycling centres might be located.

 Here are some of the benefits of using one of our civic amenity sites:

• They are cost-effective and cheap to use.
• Accept a wide range of items, including hazardous materials.
• They are clean, local, and easily accessible.
• Open on weekends to make them more accessible to all.
• They are well laid out and marked for each waste material.
• Cater for small and large deliveries in the exact location.
• Provide WEEE and Glass Bottle services free of charge.
• Cater for small and large deliveries in the exact location.

The items accepted will vary for each of our civic amenity sites. Please be sure to call in advance or check our website for the complete list of items accepted at your nearest centre. The charges for the items you bring to the respective civic amenity centre will be based on the type of vehicle you have, not the quantity or weight of the waste items themselves.

Our Barna Recycling team are always on hand at our civic amenity sites to greet you on arrival, assist you with drop-offs, and provide you with advice and information about recycling and waste disposal.

Alternatively, you can choose to hire a skip, which also makes throwing away rubbish much quicker and easier. At Barna Recycling, we have skips of all sizes for all purposes, so you can be sure we will have one to suit your needs and requirements– have a look at our helpful skip sizing guide for more information.

Don’t let unnecessary waste and clutter bog you down during your move. Let us help you make your moving day a breeze with our expert advice and guidance. If you would like more information on where to dispose of certain items or order a skip, give us a call today on 091 771619.

Optimising The Management Of Your Household Waste Disposal

Using the appropriate tools can help you optimise the management of household waste disposal. And understanding the needs of our household customers, we have developed a mobile app to smooth household waste disposal management while providing professional, reliable, and environmentally friendly services. 

Benefits of Barna Recycling Household App

Barna Recycling household app features go beyond simply allowing you to see your bin collection history. Here are five key benefits of having Barna Recycling household customer app on your mobile.

1. Receive collection reminders

Never miss a collection day anymore. Sometimes we can get caught up in our busy daily routine and forget it’s collection day or what type of waste will be collected. Barna Recycling household app sends you reminders about the collection, helping you to keep up with the calendar and avoid waste clustering.

2. View your collection calendar

Have easy and quick access to your collection calendar at any time. Our household waste collection calendar helps you sort your waste and organise bins for the collection day.

3. Account Support

Need to sort out any issues or ask questions about your Barna Recycling account? Our household app also allows you to contact us and get account support without having to make any calls. Our customer support team will answer enquiries about your account, bin collections, and payment issues.

4. Pay & top up your account and view account transactions

You can use our Barna Recycling household app to top up your account and pay your bills online. The option ‘Snap Pay’ allows you to pay your Barna Recycling bill safely with a click of a button. You can also view all your account transactions and keep up with your balance. 

5. Monitor the weight of the waste disposed

Avoid excessive weight charges. With Barna Recycling’s app, you can monitor the waste disposed of and ensure you don’t exceed the maximum weight per bin of 50kg. 

Have Access To Your Barna Recycling Account 24/7

Enjoy the ease of accessing your Barna Recycling account and take advantage of all our app’s benefits. Download Barna Recycling app today and enhance the management of your household waste disposal.

Top 7 Tips On How To Reduce, Reuse And Recycle At Home After The Holiday Season

The holiday season is the most awaited time of the year when we can relax, rest, and enjoy family time. However, during this period, waste volumes increase due to more grocery shopping, the giving and receiving of gifts, decorations and more. Thinking of how we can be more sustainable in 2023, we have highlighted top seven tips on reducing, reusing and recycling the holidays’ waste at home.

1. Household Bins

Ensure you maximise the space in your bins by breaking down waste before you put it in. This is especially important for the recycling bin. Cardboard boxes and packaging can quickly take up a lot of space, so be sure to break down bulkier items. Remember that overflowing bins or items left out beside your bins may not be taken away.

As a safety precaution, we always advise our customers not to leave boxes of expensive items, such as new TVs or game consoles beside their bins as this may encourage theft. If you do not have space for such boxes, bring them to your local civic amenity site, or store them in a shed or garage until you have sufficient room to put them in your bin.

If your bin is overflowing well in advance of your collection day, call the Barna Customer Care Team on 091 771619 to discuss your options. 

2. Christmas Trees

Real Christmas trees can easily be recycled or shredded into chippings and used in parkland areas. Artificial Christmas trees cannot be recycled but can be reused and donated to family, friends, or a local charity shop. If these are not possible, you can bring your artificial Christmas trees to a civic amenity site to dispose of. Find your nearest civic amenity site here.

An artificial Christmas tree is seen as a bulky waste item. It can be brought to your local civic amenity site (except our civic amenity site in Clifden) to be disposed of. Our civic amenity sites will also accept real Christmas trees. Find out more ways on how you can recycle or replant your Christmas tree.

A cool fact to know is that if a household reuses a plastic tree for up to five years, it’s carbon footprint will be smaller than a household that buys a real tree every year.

3. Decorations & Baubles

When taking down your decorations, some items may be broken and need to be disposed of. Often items that are deemed to be single-use items can be used again, so before you dispose of everything, take a minute to think if this could be used again next year. It is best to sort through your decorations as you are taking them down. Please note that any electrical items that contain a battery must also have the batteries removed before being disposed of or for safety reasons.

Items such as tinsel that can’t be used again can be placed in the general waste bin. Fresh wreaths can be put into your compost bin once you take off any non-compostable materials. Broken glass baubles need to be brought to the bottle bank, and lights and electrical appliances that no longer work can be brought to a WEE disposal site. Any decorations wholly made of metal should be brought to your local civic amenity site.

4. Holidays Cards

It is safe to place the holiday cards you received in your home recycling bin. These may not be recyclable if the card contains glitter or any bulky designs. Any plastic, paper or cardboard design materials are recyclable. Still, if it contains excess glitter, ribbons or homemade cards that contain glue, these cards must go in the general waste bin.

5. Wrapping Paper

The most important thing to note is that not all wrapping paper is recyclable. Any wrapping paper containing glitter, foil, or tape will have to go in the waste bin. The ribbon also goes in your general waste bin – or you can save it and reuse it again for wrapping presents next year.

Try and save any reusable pieces of wrapping paper and store them safely for next year. Save any gift bags that can be used again next year too. But be sure to take off any name tags from the bag!

6. Toys

Plastic toys can be brought to the civic amenity site. If the toys are in good condition, they can be brought to your local charity shop or donated to family and friends.

7. Batteries and Chargers

Batteries are still important for controllers and children’s toys. However, they cannot be disposed of at home. You must bring them back to where they were purchased or to a civic amenity site. Electrical items such as chargers also need to be disposed of correctly. They need to be returned to where they were purchased or brought to a WEEE drop-off recycling point or your local Civic Amenity Site to be disposed of. Click here for more information on how to dispose of WEEE the right way.

Lower Your Costs With Waste Management In 2023

Barna is Connacht’s leading provider of waste management services, providing a professional, reliable and environmentally friendly service. Join Ireland’s number one environmentally friendly waste collection provider and enjoy the peace of mind that we will recycle what you throw away.

Decluttering Tips & Trips For A Stress-Free Holiday Season

At Barna Recycling, we understand decluttering your homes during the busiest time of the year can be overwhelming, so we have outlined some of our top decluttering tips to follow for a stress-free & mess-free holiday season!

From clearing out the massive mess in the shed, old clutter in the attic and sorting out all the unused clothing, old blankets, and bedding to old books, now is the perfect time to deep clean your homes inside and out before the holiday season!
 
Below, we have outlined our top three decluttering tips and key information to help you understand what to do with the different types of waste from your home clear out.  

Decluttering Tip 1: Use Your Local Civic Amenity Site  

Our first top decluttering tip is to take advantage of Barna Recycling’s purpose-built Civic Amenity Sites. These local sites will assist you greatly when clearing out your home. We have seven civic amenity sites across Connacht for your convenience, where you can dispose of a large variety of non-hazardous and recyclable household waste at a reduced cost. Click here to find out where your nearest recycling centres might be located.

Here are some of the benefits of using one of our civic amenity sites

• They are cost-effective and cheap to use. 
• Accept a wide range of items, including hazardous materials. 
• They are clean, local, and easily accessible. 
• Open on weekends to make them more accessible to all. 
• They are well laid out and marked for each waste material. 
• Cater for small and large deliveries in the exact location. 
• Provide WEEE and Glass Bottle services free of charge. 
• Cater for small and large deliveries in the exact location. 

Decluttering Tip 2: Check The Types of Items Accepted At The Civic Amenity Sites 

Our second decluttering tip is important for the correct disposal of waste. Below are examples of types of items accepted at our sites.
 
Old blankets/ Bedding & Mattresses: Some of our civic amenity sites will also accept any type of clothing, footwear, and textiles, including blankets, at selected civic amenity sites. However, an extra charge would apply for disposing of bedding and mattresses.
 
Books: Generally, books should be placed in the household recycling bin. However, if you have a large volume of old books, phone books, newspapers, and magazines, you can dispose of them at some of our local civic amenity sites.
 
Electrical items: You can bring unwanted electrical waste, more commonly known as WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment), such as Computers, Monitors, Mobile Phones, Electronic Toys, Game consoles, Speakers, Headphones and electrical appliances to your local amenity site to dispose of it free of charge. Check out our blog for decluttering tips on disposing of WEEE items.

Old Swing sets and Garden Furniture: If you have an old garden swing or garden furniture still in working condition, you could consider selling it, passing it on to someone else or donating it to local charity shops. If they require disposal, you can bring them to your nearest local civic amenity site. Most wood, metal, and plastic furniture are widely accepted and recycled at civic amenity sites. If you have large volumes of garden waste or are undertaking bigger garden projects where you are completely redoing your lawn, landscaping, cutting or removing hedging, then hiring a skip would be the right option for you.
 

Decluttering Tip 3: Too Much Waste? Hire a Skip 

 You can choose to hire a skip, which makes throwing away rubbish much quicker and easier. At Barna Recycling, we have skips of all sizes for all purposes, so you can be sure we will have one to suit your needs and requirements– have a look at our helpful skip sizing guide here for more information. 

Declutter Your Home Stress-Free With Barna Recycling 

The items accepted will vary for each of our civic amenity sites. Please be sure to call in advance or check our website for the complete list of items accepted at your nearest centre. The charges for the items you bring to the respective civic amenity centre will be based on the type of vehicle you have, not the quantity or weight of the waste items themselves.
 
Our Barna Recycling team are always on hand at our civic amenity sites to greet you on arrival, assist you with drop-offs, and provide you with advice and information about recycling and waste disposal. Follow our top decluttering tips and have a stress-free and mess-free holiday season.

Soft Plastic Recycling

Wondering what soft plastic is and if it is recyclable? This blog explores all about soft plastic recycling, from its definition to tips on how to dispose of your soft plastic waste. Barna Recycling has invested in technological advancements allowing us to sort, recover and dispose of different plastic materials. Each household increasing their efforts to dispose of plastic is an essential & positive step for managing recycling plastic packaging waste in the country, and that includes soft plastic recycling. It will help put Ireland a huge step forward towards achieving the increased packaging recycling targets set by the EU. 
 
Currently, Ireland recycles less than one-third (28 per cent) of all plastic packaging waste.  
 
Irish Data from 2018 shows that out of the 264,000 tonnes of plastic packaging generated, only 82,000 was recycled. Almost all remaining plastic packaging was often shipped overseas to Europe for incineration or use by energy plants.  

What is soft plastic? 

Soft plastic is any type of plastic that you can scrunch in your hand. Good types of soft plastic are shrunken wraps, plastic carrier bags, toilet roll wrappers, plastic bread bags, zip lock bags, and bubble wrap.

Soft Plastic Recycling: defining if the plastic is recyclable 

A good indicator if plastic is soft and recyclable is to pull on the plastic to see if it stretches. This means the plastic is not laminated and can be recycled. 

If the plastic doesn’t stretch, this means it’s laminated or coated and, therefore, probably not recyclable. These types of plastic are removed during our sorting process for rigid and soft plastic recycling and sent to waste to energy recovery. Examples of non-soft plastics are foil-based packaging, neither netting, polystyrene and foam.

Rigid plastics, such as plastic bottles and food trays, are accepted in the recycling bin. Going forward, households can place all plastic packaging waste, including soft plastic, into the recycling bin if they’re clean, dry and loose.

Remember to place your recycling materials loose, clean, and dry into your bin. Please do not place your recycling items in a plastic bag. 

You can always check What Goes in My Blue Bin if you are unsure of items that can be recycled.
 

Barna’s Soft Plastic Recycling Process and Tips 

• Once your plastic waste is placed in the household recycling bin, our collection crew then collect your recycling bins on the designated day and deliver the waste materials to our EPA-licensed recycling facility.  
• Once your waste materials are delivered to our facility, the recycled items are then sorted for processing on our picking line. 
• Here, the recycled waste is separated into six different categories such as paper, cardboard or hard plastics, glass, aluminium & steel cans. 
• As a result of new technology and investment, soft plastics can now be segregated in this same way with the use of advanced optical sorting equipment, which facilitates the soft plastic recycling process. 
• Plastics have a high energy content that can be converted to electricity, synthetic gas, fuels, and recycled feedstocks for new plastics. 
• The recyclable plastic & cardboard waste is baled & shipped abroad to be sold and recycled in European and other markets or used by manufacturers or energy plants.

Interesting Facts about Plastic  

• Plastic makes up 90% of the rubbish in our oceans 
• Plastic production uses 8% of the world’s oil production 
• Every ton of plastic that is recycled saves 30 barrels of crude oil 
• A plastic bag takes 500 years to break down in a landfill 
• Recycling 1 plastic bottle saves the same amount of energy needed to power a 60-Watt light bulb for 6 hours 

 Items that can be made from recycled plastic bottles include: 

• Fleece 
• Sleeping Bags 
• Backpacks 
• Dog Beds 
• 25 large plastic soft drink bottles will make 1 Fleece Jacket 

Clothes Recycling: 5 Tips To Repurpose And Dispose Of Old Textiles

Textile and clothes recycling is not always on people’s sustainability radar. But now that you’ve managed to create a low-waste, eco-friendly bathroom, it’s time to finally get around to reorganising your bedroom to recycle & repurpose your used clothing, old mattresses & duvets.

Here at Barna Recycling we often find our customers wondering what to do with clothes that are old or no longer fit and textiles that have already seen their share of wear & tear. But don’t worry, we got you covered. There are plenty of sustainable solutions for repurposing, disposing, and recycling clothes and other old textiles, which we have outlined below. 

5 Tips For Clothes Recycling And Disposal

1. Shopping Smart  

Firstly, it’s important to understand that the textile industry is the second largest contributor to global pollution (Source: mywaste.ie) Every piece of clothing you wear, or use has gone through a complex manufacturing process that uses a high amount of electricity, water, and other energy sources.

Unwanted textiles and clothes recycling & upcycling save energy by reducing or eliminating the need to make materials from scratch. Before you purchase a new piece of clothing, shoes etc, always think do I need it and will I wear it. 

 2. Pass/Swap/Hand Them Down 

Before you decide to dispose of or recycle the clothes and textiles that you no longer use or wear, consider passing them on to a friend or a family member if they might be interested in them. Remember to be honest about any damage and wash the clothes before you pass them along. There are also several online platforms that allow you to swap or re-sell your clothing, such as Facebook Marketplace & Depop to name just a few options available. 

Alternatively, you can also see if those closest to you are up for swapping a few items. Invite them over for a few drinks and get the party started. This way you are recycling clothes by giving them a new life & everyone goes home happy with some new pieces they can add to their wardrobe for free!  

 3. Donate To Charity

You can also donate clothes & textiles in good condition to local charity shops as there are often non-profits and charities that would be extremely grateful for your donation. Over 10 million garments per annum are handled via charity or second-hand shops. Using charity shops often means the sales from the clothing benefit causes in your local area or community.

Some organisations accepting clothing donations are Enable Ireland, Oxfam, NCBI, Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) and Liberty Recycling. The Irish Charity Shops Association website will help you to find your nearest charity shops & clothing banks near you. 

4. Transform & Upcycle – An Alternative Way of Clothes Recycling

You can transform clothes that are damaged, stained/have holes into new items such as face masks, tablecloths, cleaning cloths, blankets, padding for chairs, bags, t-shirts and so much more! Interested in alternative ways of clothes recycling? All it takes is a little creativity and vision. You can check out Pinterest or some DIY YouTube videos for inspiration. 

5. Civic Amenity Sites

If you feel you cannot do any of the above with large volumes of old textiles, you can always bring them to your local civic amenity site or clothing banks near you. Some of our civic amenity sites will also accept any type of clothing, footwear, textiles, including blankets at selected civic amenity sites. However, an extra charge would apply for disposing of bedding and mattresses. By disposing of your clothing & textile items correctly you are playing your part in making for a cleaner, greener environment.   

How Is The Process For Old Textiles & Clothes Recycling? 

• After your clothes are collected from the various points the first step to clothes recycling is to segregate them into wearable and unwearable, or usable and unusable products. In most cases washing facilities are used to prepare the clothes for re-use of re-sale. 
• Once the textiles are properly sorted, they are then pulled into fibres or shredded, which results in yarn. Depending on the end use of the yarn, other fibres may be added into the mix. It then is re-spun so that it can be reused, either by being knitted or woven. 
• Any fibre that cannot be spun into yards is compressed into filling, such as insulation or textile filling inside of mattresses. 
• If you’re recycling polyester-based textiles, these are granulated into polyester chips. The chips are then melted so that they can create new fibres for new polyester textiles. 
• In recent years the most popular method of re-using clothes is charity shops or re-se second chance shops 

Top Barna Textiles & Clothes Recycling Tips: 

• The big advantage of charity shops is not only are the clothes re-used and not treated as waste, and it also helps provide financial assistance to a particular charity. 
• If dropping your unwanted clothes to a charity shop, familiarise yourself with other items they make take for upcycling or re-selling such as household goods, books, electrical items etc not all if these shops are dedicated only to clothes. 
• When dropping off clothes always have a look at what’s for re-sale and help the charity by purchasing something on the same journey. 
• Bedclothes, duvets are not always accepted by all charities check in advance of travelling. 
• It’s important to point out clothes that are heavily soiled or damaged can still be taken in some banks and this should be checked in advance. 
• Old clothing not able for re-use can still be put to good use by being shredded and re-used for things such as furniture stuffing.  

Now that you know there are plenty of sustainable options for old textile and clothes recycling and disposal, how about sharing these tips with your friends and family?