Warwickshire News Mine

Recycle for Warwickshire is calling on people to remember to think of the environment when disposing of the packaging from Easter Eggs.

Approximately 80 million chocolate eggs will be sold in the UK this year, generating around 4,370 tonnes of card and 160 tonnes of foil waste. An average 200g chocolate egg comes with 54g card and 2g of foil – both of which could be recycled.

Recycle Now, the national recycling campaign for England, has joined forces with celebrity chef Kevin Woodford to urge people in Warwickshire to be greener this bank holiday by recycling their waste and choosing alternative ways to celebrate Easter with family and friends.

Kevin says: “Most people love receiving chocolate eggs, but they usually come in lots of packaging. There are plenty of fun, family-friendly recipes, which can be given as gifts that result in less waste, which is how families used to celebrate Easter. And we should not forget the traditional Easter meal – if we shop carefully, buying foods in less packaging and enough for what we need, we can cook up a tasty meal without the waste.”

Among recipes suggested by Kevin include a delicious desert – the ultimate Easter hot melting dark chocolate pud with white chocolate sauce. Or what about the kids? A chocolate cake, shaped like an egg and decorated with Easter chicks from marzipan.

Kevin added: “There are lots of recipes for the whole family to celebrate together, such as Easter biscuits and scones, cut out to look like eggs, chicks or even bunnies! It can be a lot more fun when you do things together.”

Kevin’s Top Tips to cut down on waste this Easter:

· try to choose Easter eggs with less packaging or packaging that has been made from recycled materials – or make your own Easter eggs;
· if you’re making or decorating your own Easter eggs, remember to add your used shredded egg boxes to your home compost bin to make your garden bloom;
· remember to recycle the packaging from your Easter eggs – cardboard and foil can both be recycled. If you cannot recycle through your doorstep collection service, use the postcode locater on http://www.recyclenow.com to find your nearest recycling bank;
· remember there are plenty of fabulous recipes you can make at home. Go to http://www.recyclenow.com to find some;
· if you’re planning a special meal over Easter, choose loose fruit and vegetables rather than pre-packed ones and look for other Easter goodies with less packaging; and
· remember to recycle any plastic and glass bottles and glass jars from any Easter entertaining. Keep a recycling container next to the bin so it’s as easy to recycle as it is to throw away.

County Councillor Martin Heatley, Portfolio Holder for the Environment says: “It’s really easy to cut down on the amount of waste we generate at this particularly wasteful time of year but that does not mean we have to miss out on the fun! There are lots of great ways to bring the family together to celebrate such as making gifts at home by decorating eggs.

“And, if you can’t say no to an Easter egg, remember it has never been easier to recycle. If you are unsure of what can be recycled, or where, just phone 01926 412458 and speak to your local recycling officer, or visit http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/waste to find out where you can recycle your card and foil!”

Easter recipe suggestions from Kevin:
Serves 8

250g unsalted butter
5 eggs plus 5 egg yolks
125g caster sugar
250g bitter dark chocolate
50g plain flour

· Beat together eggs, egg yolks and sugar until they are light and pale in colour.
· Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Once melted then remove from the heat and add to the egg mixture, mix until smooth. Gently fold in the flour using a metal spoon.
· Pour the mixture into a buttered ramekin moulds and place in the refrigerator and chill overnight.
· The following day, just before required, bake in a pre-heated oven set at 18C, 350F or gas mark 4 for between 10 to 15 minutes until the centre of the puddings begins to expand. Turn out of the mould and serve immediately.

125g unsalted butter, softened
50g caster sugar
1tspn vanilla extract
125g self raising flour and 25g cocoa powder sifted together
25g chocolate chips
pastry cutters

· Preheat the oven to 190C, gas mark 5.
· Place the butter in a bowl and beat in the sugar with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth.
· Add the vanilla extract and then slowly stir in the flour and cocoa powder.
· Divide the mixture into small balls and place onto two baking trays, allowing enough room for them to spread during cooking.
· Lightly press down and cut into shape, adding chocolate chips.
· Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes until light brown, remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Ends

Notes to Editors: Recycle for Warwickshire is a partnership between local authorities in Warwickshire to ensure a sustainable and co-ordinated approach to waste management.

Recycle Now - launched by Matthew Pinsent in September 2004, is the £10m multi-media national recycling campaign, implemented and managed by WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme) on behalf of the Government.  The aim of the campaign is to encourage more people to recycle more stuff, more often.

WRAP is a major UK programme established to promote resource efficiency.  Its particular focus is on creating stable and efficient markets for recycled materials and products and removing the barriers to waste minimisation, re-use and recycling. A not-for-profit company, WRAP is backed by substantial Government funding from Defra and the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

WRAP is currently running fifteen programmes. Twelve of these relate to market development, comprising nine material streams (Paper, Plastics, Glass, Wood, Organics and Aggregates, Tyres, Batteries and Plasterboard) and three generic areas (Procurement, Financial Mechanisms and Regional Market Development). Three further programmes relate to the wider resource efficiency remit - Collections, Communications and Awareness and Waste Minimisation. More information on all of WRAP’s programmes can be found on http://www.wrap.org.uk and for more information on the Recycle Now campaign visit http://www.recyclenow.com

· For interview please contact Katey Stoneman, Waste Minimisation Manager, on 01926 412458 or Glenn Fleet, Sustainability Group Manager, on 01926 412458].
· For more information, see http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/wastewise.

Link to WCC