To mark the start of National Recycling Week (2-9 June), Merton Council teamed up with London sculptor Michelle Reader to create a sculpture out of our everyday rubbish that can be recycled.

Along with Michelle Reader, the council’s recycling team were on hand in Colliers Wood on Friday 30 May at the Sainsbury Superstore to highlight the benefits of recycling and how to be creative with items we tend to throw away.

Local children also got creative, making their own Dr Who Tardis from old juice cartons supplied by the council.

During the week itself, the finished sculpture will be looking over a display about recycling in the foyer of the Civic Centre. Part of the display will also include mobiles made from recyclable materials by primary school children in the borough and visitors to the Civic Centre will also be able to pick up a reusable cloth bag.

Merton Council Cabinet Member for the environment, Councillor David Simpson said: ‘We are continuing to raise awareness of the importance of reducing the amount of waste we produce in the first place, and then how we can recycle as much as possible of the waste we do produce. It is great to see a serious issue being highlighted in such a creative and innovative way. Our landfill sites are filling up and the fact that they give off greenhouse gases means we must all take action to reduce the amount of rubbish we throw away.’

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