Late last year it was announced that the Cash industry had agreed to work together to reduce the carbon impact of the cash supply chain in the UK. 

The story so far

As recycling week approaches, we felt it timely to point out some of the great work that has already been done.

• The Post Office donated surplus rubber bands to a charity during lockdown and these were used to make craft packs for children. All their internal plastic waste is recycled into damp proofing and worn-out workwear is shredded to be used for mattress stuffing. 
• As part of its own IT replacement programme, Vaultex donated 50 computers to local schools in social mobility cold spots. This means that students there will now have access to better technology than the local authority can afford to provide. 
• G4S now send their waste to be used to create energy or to be processed into raw materials for re-use. 
• Lloyds Banking Group donated 1600 PCs and 350 monitors to the Turing Trust last year and sent chairs, desks, filing cabinets and couches that were excess to requirements to Walking with the Wounded, for one of its new hubs in the north east.
• The Bank of England turn polymer banknotes that are no longer fit for purpose into pellets, which are then transformed into new plastic items like plant pots and garden furniture.
• Future production of lower denominations of coin by The Royal Mint will be packaged in reusable metal containers rather than single use cardboard boxes.

All these small steps come together to create a positive direction of travel on which the industry intend to build over the coming months.

Have you considered??

Just one small thing that everyone can relate to, and get involved with, is the fact that recycling doesn't always have to refer to waste.  Another issue that has recently come under scrutiny is the number of coins that are currently held at home, either being deliberately saved to pay for a specific item or treat, or inadvertently hoarded through a lack of opportunity to spend and largely forgotten.

If these coins remain out of circulation then they will have to be replaced by new ones from the Royal Mint, which will use precious resources to make, package and transport them out to customers.  If the coins are recycled, either by being spent, deposited into a bank or Post Office or donated to charity locally, then less packaging and transport will be needed to get them back into circulation for other people to use.