Students urged to donate items instead of throwing them away

Students moving out of accommodation in Liverpool over the next few weeks are being encouraged to donate and recycle unwanted items instead of throwing them away.

Many of the terraced houses in Smithdown Road area of Wavertree and in Kensington are home for the city's student population, but at the end of the academic year residents must clear their belongings.

Liverpool City Council and universities have launched the annual Leave Liverpool Tidy campaign, focusing on boosting recycling.

A pilot version of the initiative last year diverted 12 tonnes of waste from general disposal and raised more than £17,000 for charity.

Laura Robertson-Collins, cabinet member for communities, neighbourhoods and streetscene, said she appreciated students were under pressure to clear out their houses at the end of the academic year.

She said two recycling drop-off points and a new collection service were available this year, in addition to the annual community skips.

The council said extra bin collections and street cleansing will run during the peak period to manage any remaining waste.

"Moving out can be a hectic time and we know it often comes with a big clear-out," said Robertson-Collins.

"It's really important that people reuse and recycle things from student houses, otherwise they all go into the bin and that is a terrible waste."

A recycling waste container has been installed temporarily on Webster Road in Wavertree and will be open for drop-offs on set days until July.

There will also be additional drop-off points at Asda on Smithdown Road and in Kensington Fields for two days at the end of June.

Suitable donated goods will be passed on to the British Heart Foundation and the Salvation Army, while unopened food will be distributed to FareShare Merseyside.

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