Metrocentre invites its customers to drop off their waste during National Recycling Week

Metrocentre shoppers are encouraged to take their waste with you as part of a new initiative to mark National Recycling Week.

The week, which aims to raise awareness about sustainability, runs from Monday September 20 to Sunday September 26 and the Gateshead Shopping Center is participating by inviting people to recycle waste and unwanted items at participating stores.

And it seems that being environmentally conscious can also pay off – literally in the case of visitors to the Lush store which offers 50 pence on purchases, or a freebie, with the return of its product packaging; as well as L’Occitane which offers a 10% reduction and Schuh with its own offer of £ 5.

Read more: How Gateshead Metrocentre was created

The Metrocentre has developed a guide where customers can dispose of foil balloons, empty cosmetics, old electrical appliances and batteries and more at the Metrocentre’s many participating retailers.

Schuh – Lower Red Mall

Customers who return a pair of unwanted shoes in any condition and brand to the store can receive a £ 5 voucher on a full-priced pair of shoes costing £ 25 or more.

Schuh will then send the unwanted shoes to Recyclatex where around 90% of its components can be recycled and, in return, donate to the World Land Trust, Schuh’s choice as a sustainable charity.

Lush – Upper Red Mall

Empty beauty products

As part of its Bring it Back program, Lush will offer customers 50 pence off their total purchase for each empty package returned.

Alternatively, those who return five empty Lush black jars can receive a free face mask.

The store recycles and reuses old packaging into new ones for products as well as for bath bomb molds, bottles, spatulas and even table tops, spatulasore.

Additionally, customers who return their old Lush knot wraps for recycling can receive a 50% discount on new knot wraps.

L’Occitane – Upper Red Mall

Beauty product packaging

The store will recycle any brand of beauty plastics and in return, they will offer 10% off an individual full-size product.

The Body Shop – Lower Platinum Shopping Center

Cosmetic packaging

There is a recycling station in the store where customers can dispose of empty cosmetic packaging, including soft packaging for makeup as well as pumps and droppers.

Superdrug – Lower Red Mall

Beauty products

Empty beauty products of any brand that cannot be recycled at home can be brought here.

You just have to clean them and drop them off at your recycling station.

Card Factory – Lower Blue Mall or Upper Green Mall

Foil balloons and banners

When the party is over, people are often not sure what to do with these home decorations.

They can be recycled here.

Costa Coffee – Lower Green Mall

Cups of coffee

Take-out paper coffee cups, regardless of brand, can be recycled at this cafe.

Currys PC World – Lower Green Mall

Electric – the store will recycle old electrical appliances – everything from toasters and floor cleaners to televisions – that are no longer needed, whether or not they were purchased from Currys.

Printer ink cartridges – these can also be recycled free of charge at Currys.

To note: anyone who purchases a new electrical item will find that the following retailers will recycle their old one for free: O2 and Vodaphone in the Lower Green Mall and Next Home & Beauty and Smiggle in the Lower Red Mall.

Used batteries: those can be dropped off for recycling at Primark in the Lower & Upper Yellow Mall; Next Home & Beauty at Lower Red Mall; Play in the Lower Platinum Mall; Marks & Spencer, WHSmith or Currys PC World in the Lower Green Mall; Menkind or Wilkos in the Lower Blue Mall and Poundland in the Upper Blue Mall.

Unwanted clothing, shoes and accessories

H&M – Red Shopping Center

A clothing collection box in the store will pick up unwanted clothes

Zara – Red Shopping Center

The store accepts old clothes, fabrics, shoes, accessories and jewelry.

Primark – Place des Expositions

Unwanted clothing and fabrics for recycling can be brought to the store.

The Gateashead Metrocentre is currently working on obtaining special accreditation for sustainability and environmental management.

It diverts all its general waste from landfills; has an on-site facility to handle food waste and recently launched new staff uniforms made from recycled plastic bottles.

Gavin Prior, director of the center, said: “Sustainability and our impact on the environment are at the center of our concerns here at Metrocentre.

“We have a number of new green initiatives in the works that we look forward to announcing in the coming months.”

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