February 2024 news

View our news items from February 2024.

Recycling Centre bookings are now open ahead of the Book to Recycle expansion

Appointments can now be made to visit any Recycling Centre in West Sussex, ahead of the expansion of the ‘Book to Recycle’ system from 12 February 2024.

From 12 February, residents will need to book a slot before they visit all Recycling Centres in West Sussex. The booking system was already in place at Bognor Regis, Crawley, Horsham, Littlehampton, Shoreham-By-Sea and Worthing and is now being extended to include Billingshurst, Burgess Hill, East Grinstead, Midhurst and Chichester Recycling Centres.

Bookings can be made on the day or up to two weeks in advance and are for 15 or 30 minutes depending on the site. The booking system provides visitors with more time and opportunity to recycle by ensuring items are disposed of in the correct area, rather than just being put into general waste.

It also enables staff more time to offer recycling advice and divert more materials to recycling. This reduces the amount of waste being processed, makes the sites more efficient and ultimately helps to lower the cost of disposal.

Slots are now available and can be booked for all sites by visiting our website or calling 01243 642106.

Find out more about your local Recycling Centre including opening times.

Reduce, reuse and recycle this Valentines Day

Valentine’s Day gifts and date nights can produce a lot of rubbish. To help make sure everything ends up where it should, here’s a breakdown of what can and can’t be recycled!

Yes please

  • Cards and wrapping paper (unless they are glittery, metallic, or foil-based)
  • Takeaway containers
  • Wine bottles
  • Plastic sweet and chocolate containers (please keep them clean, dry and loose)

No thank you

  • Balloons
  • Teddy bears
  • Plastic wrapping

Or you could take it one step further and reduce your waste by:

  • ditching the gifts and opting for an experience instead
  • picking a potted plant instead of a bouquet of cut roses - they often contain less plastic and they last a lot longer
  • getting busy in the kitchen and bake some sweet treats instead of giving gifts
  • giving second-hand gifts a go
  • composting your flowers once they have been enjoyed.

Community Food Hubs

Help us in our #FightAgainstFoodWaste by visiting your local award-winning UKHarvest Community Food Hub.

Community Food Hubs rescue good quality food that would have otherwise gone to waste and provide great information on how you can do all you can at home to reduce food waste. Each district and borough has one hub per month. See below our dates for February 2024:

  • Arun: Bognor Regis Youth and Community Centre, 7 February (3.00pm to 4.00pm)
  • Mid Sussex: Haywards Heath's Ashenground Community Centre, 9 February (10.00am to 11.00am)
  • Adur: Southwick Community Centre, 14 February (10.00am to 11.00am)
  • Chichester: Petworth's Sylvia Beaufoy Centre, 15 February (10.00am to 11.00am)
  • Crawley: Broadfield Community Centre, 21 February (10.00am to 11.00am)
  • Horsham: Storrington's Chanctonbury Leisure Centre, 24 February (10.00am to 11.00am)
  • Worthing: Sidney Walter Centre, 29 February (10.00am to 11.00am)

For more information on the hubs, including a full list of dates and exact locations as well as food waste prevention tips, visit our website.

Additional kerbside collections

Did you know that all of the districts and boroughs in West Sussex offer free kerbside collections of small electricals?

You must not dispose of small electricals in either your recycling or waste bins at home. This is because they often contain hazardous materials which can start a fire when the items are crushed during the collection and sorting process. You can find out more information on these collections on our website.

Alongside these collections, the district and boroughs also offer a variety of other free kerbside collections including textiles, batteries and coffee pods. The collections they offer, as well as how they work differ, so it is important to check with your local council for more information:

Upcoming waste prevention events

Throughout West Sussex, we're proud to be working alongside a team of passionate recycling and waste volunteers and advisers. They attend public and private events to promote waste prevention, reuse and recycling, and are keen to answer questions on the county's recycling provision and waste prevention.

February/March events:

  • Saturday 17 February 2024 - Information stand at Cats Protection Charity Bazaar, Roffey Millennium Hall, Horsham, RH12 4DT.
  • Wednesday 21 February (3.00pm to 4.00pm) - Recycling and waste talk, Steyne Gardens, Worthing.
  • Saturday 24 February 2024 (10.00am to 4.00pm) - Information stand at Horsham Green Living Hub, United Reformed Church, RH12 1PT.
  • Saturday 30 March 2024 (10.00am to 4.00pm) - Information stand at Horsham Green Living Hub, United Reformed Church, RH12 1PT.

Alongside the above public events we are attending numerous privately hosted talks and events for local community groups, schools and other organisations. If you would like our team to attend an event, or for more information on the above please email: waste.prevention@westsussex.gov.uk.

We also attend a number of Community Food Hubs and education sessions in collaboration with UKHarvest. Each district and borough has one hub per month. For more information on the Community Food Hubs, their locations and dates and times please visit our website.