Recycling household waste remains one of the most effective ways to protect the environment and tackle climate change, the Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon (ABC) Borough, Cllr Mary O’Dowd, has said at the launch of Recycle Week 2026.

Running from Monday 14 to Sunday 20 September, the nationwide awareness drive is led by Recycle Now and supported locally by ABC Council. This year again centres on the Rescue Me! Recycle campaign, which highlights “missed capture” items regularly thrown in the rubbish despite being recyclable.

The push urges residents to double-check items such as shampoo bottles, aluminium foil, trigger sprays, aerosols and yoghurt pots, which too often end up in landfill when they could be recycled.

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The Lord Mayor said: "Every person across the ABC Borough can play their part, no matter how small that may seem, by recycling as many everyday items as possible. All these small actions, come together to make a big positive impact."

ABC Council is encouraging households to review what can go in their green bins and to access step-by-step recycling guidance on the council website at www.armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk. Further information on home recycling and details of local recycling centres are available via the ABC Council App at www.armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk/abc-council-app.

Catherine David, CEO, WRAP said: "Recycling is one of the easiest ways we can all help to divert millions of tonnes of waste from landfill and incineration, conserve scarce natural resources and cut carbon emissions.

"Each year millions of shampoo bottles, aluminium foil and other recycling are binned when they could be recycled, so this Recycle Week we’re asking people to be a hero at home and rescue more recycling. Together with local authorities and communities, we’re making it easier to keep these valuable materials in use and give our recycling a second life."