What happens to our recycling?

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  Step1

  All the recycling collected from homes in Hampshire is delivered to a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), ready to be sorted. It is fed onto conveyor belts where staff remove any items we can’t recycle.

   

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  Step 2

  The recycling then enters two large spinning drums which separate smaller items such as cans and plastic bottles from larger ones like newspapers. The smaller items then pass over a screen to remove any small contaminants (items that can’t be recycled).

   

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  Step 3

  Sets of magnets pull out the steel and aluminium cans, leaving just the plastic bottles and small paper products.

   

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  Step 4

  Light sensors separate the plastic from the paper, then the paper from any remaining contaminants. Larger paper items are also separated using light sensors.

   

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  Step 5

  Once everything has been separated, the items are baled for easier handling and are loaded onto lorries, ready to be sent off to be recycled.