Make recycling your goal and win a football shirt!

It's national Recycle Week from Monday, 21 to 27 June, so when you sit back and enjoy a beer while watching the World Cup, remember to recycle your cans and bottles afterwards.

This goes for any pizza boxes, takeaway foil trays and plastic bottles too.  And did you know that your plastic bottles could even be recycled into a football shirt?  Nine countries in the World Cup are wearing shirts made from recycled plastic bottles - all those sponsored by Nike - USA, Netherlands, Brazil, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, Portugal, Slovenia and Serbia.  Nearly 13 million bottles have been used in total and if laid end to end they'd stretch the entire coastline of South Africa - that's about 1,800 miles!

Not only can you recycle your everyday waste, but you can also recycle your old electrical items and clothes.  Councillor Jean Heywood, Environment Portfolio Holder, said: "Recycle Week is all about encouraging people to think about the many, easy ways we can reduce waste and recycle more.

"So whether it's recycling all your food and drink waste during the World Cup, or having a late spring clean to get rid of clothes you no longer wear and small electrical items you no longer use, please do your bit for the environment."

During Recycle Week the council will be out and about across the borough spreading the word so drop by to find out more - you could even win an eco kettle or iPod dock DAB digital clock radio by entering a free prize draw.  All you have to do is fill out a quick survey on reusing waste.  All surveys completed at the council's summer recycling road shows will be kept and two will be picked at random to win a Brazil and Portugal World Cup shirt.

• Monday 21 June - Tesco, Borehamwood, 10am to 2pm
• Wednesday 23 June - Tesco, Potters Bar, 10am to 2pm
• Thursday 24 June - Tesco, Shenley 2pm to 4pm

Plastic bottles, cardboard, cans and foil as well as newspapers and magazines can be recycled through your kerbside collections or taken to a local recycling bank or Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC).  Glass bottles or jars are not included yet so these should be taken to your local bank or HWRC until a new kerbside scheme starts later this year.  

Broken electrical items can be taken to a HWRC and clothes and small electrical items that still work can be donated to your local British Heart Foundation store - visit BHF website  to find your nearest one.

HWRCs are located at:

• Allum Lane, Elstree
• Cranborne Road, Potters Bar
• Wiggenhall Road, Watford

For more information about recycling and to find your nearest recycling point, visit our recycling pages, call 020 8207 7480 or email street.scene@hertsmere.gov.uk