Green Move Out scheme for students returns next week

Durham’s Green Move Out scheme, which saw over 200 bags and 1.5 tonnes of materials  collected from students and reused last year, starts again on Monday 13 June.   

The programme, which has been running for 11 years, aims to ensure waste is properly disposed of and as much as possible is reused and recycled.

Durham County Council is working with Durham University, Durham Constabulary and the County Durham Furniture Help Scheme to support students when they move out at the end of term and encourage them to donate items to support those in need in the local area.

This is the third consecutive year of the reuse bags initiative which allows students to place any reusable items such as clothes, books and electricals they no longer want into purple bags in the hope someone else will find these unwanted items useful.

The distinctive purple bags have been issued to hundreds of properties in the Durham City area.

The following items can be placed in the purple bags:-

• clothing and shoes
• bedding
• books
• electrical items
• pots and pans
• crockery
• in-date tins of food

Purple bags should be placed at the front of properties for collection by County Durham Furniture Help Scheme on weekdays from Monday 13 June to Friday 8 July only. Items which will not fit into the purple bags can be placed alongside, clearly marked ‘For Reuse’.

Students will receive a letter, leaflet and reminders through landlord networks and the council’s recycling team will be available to advise students on what can and can’t be recycled, encourage the reuse of other unwanted household items and to spread the reuse message.

Additionally, the council is planning extra neighbourhood warden patrols and additional collections of waste which can’t be reused or recycled.

Oliver Sherratt, corporate director of neighbourhood services, at the council, said: “Every summer thousands of students move out of, or between, properties in Durham City.

“We want to ensure that as much as possible is reused and recycled so, together with our partners, we are aiming to help students to sort their reusable items from their waste.”

Michelle Crawford, Environment Bursar at Durham University, said: “We are pleased to be working in partnership with the council, County Durham Furniture Help Scheme and Durham Constabulary as part of the University’s Green Move Out Scheme.

“This is a very positive initiative which will help to ensure that as many items as possible are reused and that as much recycling as possible takes place during the move out period and that waste is kept to a minimum.”

Residents can also arrange to have larger items collected by contacting the County Durham Furniture Help Scheme on 01388 721 509.

For more information on the Green Move Out scheme, including the streets involved, please go to www.durham.ac.uk/greenspace/greenmoveout/liversout