In this warm summer weather barbecue season is now in full swing. Here are some top tips to help you to keep the environment in mind:
- Meat: Whilst it is tempting to pick up a low cost pack of barbecue meat you may also want to think about the packaging and the food quality. Most bulk packs are on hard plastic or polystyrene trays which cannot be recycled easily. By supporting your local butcher you can buy exactly the amount you need to avoid food waste, not to mention reducing your carbon footprint.
- Use real crockery that can be washed and reused. If you choose to opt for disposable plates and cups, choose something that is fully compostable.
- Provide a recycling container for beer cans and glass bottles and encourage your guests to use them. This reduces the amount of clearing up you have to do and the recyclables will already have been sorted.
- Soft plastic packaging, such as bread roll packets and the film lids from burger packs, should be saved up and taken to a local soft plastics recycling point. Many local supermarkets offer this service
- Make sure all other recycling is clean, dry and loose in your recycling bin
You are strongly advised not to use a disposable barbecue this summer as much of Sussex is now tinder dry following our recent heat waves.
If you do use one make sure you leave it to cool down for several hours before disposing of it. Watch this short video from the West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service to explain why.