Shrewsbury recycle group eyes start for cardboard rounds

A community-run cardboard collection scheme in Shrewsbury will be up and running in the new year, organisers have revealed.

The Cardboard Christmas Group was set up by Alison Thomas and Katy Anderson, members of environmental group Transition Town Shrewsbury, following Shropshire Council's decision to stop kerbside collections. Ms Thomas said volunteers will be out in Shrewsbury on January 7.

They will on the streets of the town to pick up cardboard and take it to a recycling processor in Oswestry. All the profits made from the recycling will go to charity.

Ms Thomas said the group had paid for skips to be placed at two pick-up points around Shrewsbury.

One will be at the Red Barn pub in Longden Road and another at the Riversway Elim Church in Harlescott.

She said the United Reformed Church on the English Bridge had also agreed to store cardboard for the group which would be collected by members and taken to recycling business Oswestry Waste Paper for processing.

The proceeds from each tonne delivered will be split between Hope House Children's Hospice and Severn Hospice.

"We are aiming to have a cardboard jamboree," she added.

"At the Red Barn we are hoping to have a cardboard cafe with refreshments and warm drinks.

"People can come along and drop of their cardboard in one place,

"I am really excited about it. I really don't have the time to do it but we need to keep people interested about cardboard recycling and make sure they do not landfill it."

So far 20 groups have given the scheme their backing including 13 churches, Shrewsbury Friends of the Earth as well as residents living in streets in Belle Vue, The Mount and Porthill.

The volunteers have also been loaned a Transit van from Salopion Brewery to collect the cardboard and transport it to Oswestry.

"I have been involved with waste management for a long time. It is ridiculous to compost cardboard or throw it on landfill, it doesn't make economic or environmental sense," she added

The group hopes to recruit the help of builders who get through a lot of cardboard in their professions.

"Plumbers generate cardboard all the time. We want to recruit them to help us take the cardboard to the recycling plant," she said.