Help! What Goes in My Brown Composting Bin?

We get asked this question a lot so we decided to answer it in today’s blog post. A general rule of thumb when it comes to composting is that anything that was once living can be composted.

Click here to visit our handy guide which lists the items you  can place in your Barna Recycling Brown Bin.

The contents of your brown bin is taken to our purpose built composting facility with the capacity to manage 40,000 tonnes of organic waste annually. Here the waste is processed into compost for use as a natural, high quality fertiliser for use by farmers and horticulturalists.

The Foods We All Throw Away!

The Stop Food Waste programme has done some fantastic research into the food we all throw away.  Their research highlights that we are all creatures of habit often throw out the same types of food, for the same reasons, on a regular basis.

Stop Food Waste advises that to stop wasting food we first need to become aware of what and how much we throw out. Being aware of this is the first step to reducing the food, and money we waste.  So next time you’re shopping or eating, watch out for these foods especially and you will save twice:

• by buying less food and

• by having less to dispose of

It has been found that the main foods that are regularly thrown out are:

Ireland moves up to second place in EU for packaging recycling

Ireland has climbed up the rankings in terms of recycling packaging in the EU from fourth place to second, according to figures released by Eurostat.  Research indicates that 98pc of the Irish public are recycling.

In 2013, Repak collected 712,054 tonnes of packaging, of which 39pc was paper, 28pc glass, 27pc plastic and 5pc metal.Irish businesses have invested €300m through Repak to ensure that their packaging is recycled over the past 17 years and Repak has helped to grow packaging recovery from under 15pc in 1998 to nearly 79pc last year.

Repak also reveals that it recycles 3.72 kgs per household, per week, the equivalent of five cereal boxes, 10 pizza boxes, 2 wine bottles, 15 butter tubs, 40 yoghurt pots and 15 drinks cans per house per week.“Being upgraded to the No 2 in Europe is a major milestone for Ireland’s package recycling story.  This is due this success to the collective efforts of our members, recovery operators, Government, Local Authorities and consumers,” said Seamus Clancy, CEO Repak.

Are you a recycling bin sinner?

Repak has commissioned a study with Amárach Research which reveals that seven out of 10 Irish people are recycling bin ‘sinners’, disposing of incorrect and dirty household materials in their recycling bin, including nappies, razors and cigarette butts.

Click here to read the Barna Recycling handy guide on what items go in each bin.

Have a Green Halloween…..DIY and Win!

Anyone who grew up during the 80’s probably went Trick ‘R Treating in a black plastic bag complete with homemade witch’s hat.   Shop bought costumes nowadays seem to have replaced these DIY favourites but homemade costumes don’t have to be embarrassing (or sweaty) and can in fact give you a great opportunity to recycle whilst spend some fun times with the family.  Barna Recycling would like to challenge all our customers to create a Halloween costume from Recyclable materials. Email pictures of your scary creations to halloween@barnarecycling.com before the 7th of November to be in with a chance to win some great prizes:

First Prize:         €50 One4All Voucher
Second Prize:    €30 One4All Voucher
Third Prize:        €20 One4All Voucher

Handy Tip : The internet has lots of great ideas for homemade costumes so get Googling.

Ballinasloe Town Collections during Horse Fair

SERVICE DISRUPTION

Please note that Monday Collections normally due on the 6th of October in Ballinasloe Town will be Collected now on Saturday the 4th of October instead due to the closure of roads during the Ballinasloe Horse Fair & Festival.

August Bank Holiday Weekend Collection Schedule

Don’t miss out on your bin collections over the bank holiday weekend. 

Galway City customers, your waste will be collected on Monday 4th of August as normal.

Galway County customers, if your waste collection was scheduled for Monday 4th August, your collection will now take place on Saturday 2nd August instead – that’s Saturday 2nd August.

Roscommon Customers, your waste will be collected on Monday 4th of August as normal.
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Pay By Weight Explained

The new Pay by Weight system for waste collection will encourage people to manage their waste more efficiently. It will promote better segregation of waste and lead to a decrease in the amount of household waste going to landfill.

More importantly, the Pay by Weight system will allow households determine their waste collection costs.

The more that is recycled and composted, the less the cost to the householder.

Below is a cost comparison, comparing the traditional Tag system with the new Pay by Weight system in terms of the average annual cost:
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June Bank Holiday Weekend Collection Schedule

Barna Recycling would like to notify our customers of the following June Bank Holiday Weekend waste collection arrangements.

Galway City customers, your waste will be collected on Monday 2nd of June as normal.
Galway County customers, if your waste collection was scheduled for Monday 2nd June, your collection will now take place on Saturday 31st May instead – that’s Saturday 31st May.
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May Bank Holiday Weekend Collection Schedule

Barna Recycling would like to notify our customers of the following May Bank Holiday Weekend waste collection arrangements.

Galway City customers, your waste will be collected on Monday 5^th of May as normal.

Galway County customers, if your waste collection was scheduled for Monday 5^th May, your collection will now take place on Saturday 3^rd May instead – that’s Saturday 3^rd May.
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