A CAMPAIGN to boost carton recycling in Dorset has been such a success the service is to continue.

Cartons, such as those made by Tetra Pak, Elopak and SIG Combibloc, are typically used for food and drink packaging, such as juices, soup, milk and sauces. They are made from fibre, plastic and aluminium foil, so are recycled separately from cardboard and paper.

As the cartons cannot currently be recycled at the kerbside, Dorset Waste Partnership wants to maintain the carton bank service by increasing the amount being recycled and reducing the amount of incorrect items being placed in the banks.

It ran a competition to promote the carton recycling banks, which are situated in around 20 different locations across the county. Entrants had to write their contact details on a carton and pop it into a carton recycling bank, with three lucky winners selected at random to receive a year’s garden waste collection service.

Hundreds of cartons were entered into the competition, which was launched when the carton recycling banks were in danger of being withdrawn due to under-use and too many incorrect items being placed inside them.

The final winner was Rachel Edwards of Upwey, who regularly collects her cartons and takes them to Dorchester whenever she’s in town to drop them at the recycling bank.

The success of the competition has meant that the DWP’s contractors, who empty the banks and recycle the cartons, have agreed to continue providing the service for the time being.

Karyn Punchard, Director of the Dorset Waste Partnership, said: “Congratulations and thank you to Rachel for recycling her cartons and using the service correctly. But the real winners are the people of Dorset who can carry on recycling their cartons using the banks.

"While it’s too early to tell if more cartons are being recycled, we have already noticed a significant drop in the amount of incorrect items being placed in the banks. This means that our contractors can continue to provide the recycling service at our various car parks.

"I want to send a huge thank you to everyone who currently uses the banks. With around 20 locations around Dorset, it’s easy for most residents to keep hold of their cartons, flatten them down and drop them off next time they’re near a carton recycling bank.”

A full list of the Dorset Waste Partnership’s recycling banks in car parks – which also include facilities to recycle foil, textiles and small electrical items – can be found at www.dorsetforyou.gov.uk/recycling-centres/carparks