Waste & Recycling Visitor Education Centre

We all know is important and that we need to ensure the right things are going in the right bin. But did you know that some items that can’t be recycled at home can be recycled at your local recycling centre?
For example, scrap wood and metal can’t go in your blue recycling bin but are welcomed in our skips! Hard plastics and mattresses also contain valuable resources that can be re-processed and re-purposed.
Remember that electrical or battery-operated items should never go in your bin at home!
Using a recycling centre is simple- just book a slot (free of charge) through your local council website.
Gateshead Council South Tyneside Council Sunderland, UK

Last week, the W&RVEC attended the Sunderland Schools Climate Conference at City Hall. Over 150 young people took part in the event, showing how committed they are to helping the . It was so encouraging to see and an honour to support them in their journey.
Want to learn more about how you can through properly? Contact [email protected] and book one of our workshops, presentations or site visits!

Sunderland, UK SUEZ UK

Just over until we’ll be helping out with a and at St Mark's Community Association!
On Saturday 20th June, the W&RVEC will be attending as a stallholder and activity leader, helping the residents of Sunderland, UK engage with and learn about at home.

The 8th June is and is therefore the perfect day to highlight the effect of in our oceans and waterways.

The UK throws away about 1.6 billion pieces of plastic packaging EVERY WEEK. What’s even more worrying is it takes plastic, on average, well over 500 years to break down. If plastic gets into and pollutes waterways, it can harm both people and wildlife. For example, did you know that one third of the fish caught for human consumption contain plastic?
But you can make a difference! the amount of plastic you use by ditching such as plastic water bottles. Try and buy products that use paper or biodegradable packaging rather than plastic. a refillable water bottle instead of throwing plastic away, and what is left. Some plastic packaging can go in your , the others hard plastics or film-type materials can be recycled either at large supermarkets or by visiting your local Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC).
Let’s protect the oceans!

Today is and it’s the perfect time to make a commitment to helping our !
The ‘environment’ isn’t just the Earth as a whole. It’s your local area, your favourite place, your workplace, your home and your future! The environment affects us all, so it’s crucial we look after it.
Why not care for your local environment today and go for a ? Or continue to look after it by making sure you properly and use your bins correctly? Look after both the local and global environment by following as small changes make a big difference!

Did you know it’s ? Well, now you do!

EU Green Week is a great opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of following . These three simple steps are very easy to incorporate into your daily routines and have an enormous effect on the planet. You could by not buying the latest gadget if your old one still works. You could by taking a refillable water bottle with you rather than buying plastic bottles. And makes a huge difference to the energy you use. For example, recycling a single glass bottle will save enough energy to power a laptop for half an hour!
So, from this week onwards, make it your mission to follow the 3Rs and , and !

Welcome to June!
Before we dive enthusiastically into the halfway point of 2026, we wanted to take a moment to show you what the W&RVEC delivered last month (May, if you can’t remember that far back).
It was a busy month; we delivered 42 workshops and engaged with a grand total of 813 people! This is in an effort to change behaviours, encouraging people to reduce what they use, re-use more and recycle properly.



SUEZ UK Gateshead Council South Tyneside Council Sunderland, UK

It’s halfway through already. Looking for something to keep the kids occupied and increase their waste awareness at the same time? Why not use to make an and cheap craft session? For example, instead of throwing away damaged shoes, make them into quirky and colourful !

Have you booked onto our FREE Insect Feeder workshop at Land of Oak & Iron ? There’s still time!

This workshop is perfect for anyone who wants to discover how following can be simple, fun and effective.
We’re running two workshops, one 10-11am and the other 11am-12noon. Just visit https://landofoakandiron.org.uk/event-directory/insect-feeder-workshop-1/ to book your place!

Feed the Bees & Bugs! Make an Insect Feeder - The Land of Oak & Iron From bottle tops to bug feeder - help bees, butterflies, and other mini beasts thrive by creating your very own insect feeder!

Not long until our workshops at Crawcrook Library, Birtley Library and Gateshead Central Library!

This , we’re giving you plenty of opportunities for across the Gateshead library network. Fancy making a bag out of an old, unloved t-shirt? Book onto the SUSTAINABLE FASHION workshop at Crawcrook Library on 26th May! Want to in your local area? Maybe the INSECT FEEDERS workshop at Birtley Library is for you (26th May). Or maybe you’d like to to your local library and help make TYRE PLANTERS for the library garden. Book onto the Gateshead Central Library workshop on 29th May!

To book your FREE place, just contact the library in question.