A new report has found that airlines are generating over 800 million pounds of waste every year but only 20% is actually being recycled.

Most of the rubbish from airlines is generated in flight. The report uncovered that many airlines are not even recycling aluminium cans and in 2004 enough cans were thrown in the bin to build 58 Boeing 747 jets. In the same year just less than 10,000 tonnes of plastics and enough newspapers to cover a football pitch 250 meters deep were chucked in the bin.

Only 16% of passengers feel that enough is being done to recycle onboard waste.

In the UK Monarch Airlines was the first to introduce a recycling scheme, where they place all cans, magazines, newspapers and champagne bottles in a recycling bag and recycle them when landing at Gatwick airport. Thomas Cook UK Airlines also launched a national onboard recycling scheme in January 2009.

British Airways have also recently announced that they will be building a new plant in the UK to turn 500,000 tonnes of waste materials into 16,000,000 gallons of fuel for their planes.

People out shopping in Glasgow’s St. Enoch Shopping Centre will now be able to recycle their rubbish on the go due to the introduction of a Recycle Zone in the area.

The Recycle Zone will allow people to dispose of any unwanted cans, plastic bottles, paper and other general rubbish that they have collected whilst out shopping. This is great for people who would usually throw unwanted items into their car or straight into the bin for it to end up landfill.

People already recycle at home and at work and can now recycle when they are out and about.

St. Enoch Centre was chosen to be the first place in Glasgow to have this new recycling facility as it is one of the most popular shopping centres outside of London.

There are now over 40 Recycle Zones nationwide, the partnership between Coca Cola, Recoup and the Waste and Resources Action Programme aim to have 80 around the country by 2011.

Teacher, Vivienne Foster was accused by Nottingham Council of fly tipping after she left a bag of paper next to a recycling bin because it was full.

The teacher was traced after one of the pieces of waste paper had her name and address on. The council then sent her a letter threatening court action unless she paid a fine. After being contacted about this matter by the local paper the council has decided to back down and has apologized to Ms Foster.

Under new government plans to increase the amount of recycling that is done in the UK householders could be forced to have six bins and check through every piece of rubbish.

Under the new ‘zero waste’ plans there will be separate bins for plastic bottles, glass, cardboard, paper, tin and garden waste. There will also be a slop bucket in every kitchen for food waste. If people put the wrong items in the wrong bins then fines will be imposed by local councils of up to £500.

These new recycling measures are expected to become available by 2020. A new consumer campaign will also be launched which will explain exactly which materials should go in which bins.

The local government association said it would cost £1.1 billion to set up the new ‘zero waste’ scheme which would mean an extra £50 per year on the average council tax bill.

Currently in the UK over half of all rubbish is ending up at landfill which equates to a massive 62 million tonnes. With the new recycling measures in place the amount of waste going to landfill would be cut in half.

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