Reminder - British Musical Fireworks Championships is nearly here

SOUTHPORT is ready to have a blast as the British Musical Fireworks Championships returns over 27 September to 29 September 2019. Don't miss what will be an amazing show. With 7 stunning displays over the 3 days, each display lasting 15 minutes, blasting 10 tonnes of pyrotechnics each display, you will be in fore quite an amazing time. Plus if you do not already know, it takes 15 technicians working for over 12 hours to set up the display, using around 5 kilometres of wire to ensured the very best and most entertaining firework displays on each night, that will be perfectly synchronised to music! This amazing show will start on Friday, with the 2018 winners, Illusion Fireworks Ltd.

For more information please visit:- VisitSouthport.Com. Also if you are attending, do not forget Southport has lots of amazing restaurants and bars to visit, so do not rush back, let the traffic drop and treat yourself.

Plus Southport also has a fantastic rail service thanks to Merseyrail and very good buses that run to Preston, via Stagecoach's x2 and 2 services, to name just 2 of the many public transport options available to you. If you did not see it, this link will take you to our coverage from the 2018 event.
 

British public calls for clearer bin rules

WE are more committed than ever to saving our planet, with people trying to cut down on plastic usage and recycling everything in sight. However, there is still a high level of confusion on what can, or can't, be recycled. And this has led to 40% of UK adults calling for clearer rules on recycling. That's according to new research by Confused.com, which reveals 54% of Brits don't recycle properly because they're confused by the rules in their area. But the research shows that people want to recycle and are giving it their best shot. In fact, 32% of adults will improvise, despite not fully understanding the rules. 17% will also try their best to follow the rules, even though they're confused.

However, initiatives have been implemented to encourage people to recycle in and out of the home. For example, Councils might offer explainer-style postcards or newsletters to update people on the rules in the area. Or they might arrange a local talk to get the community involved. But there are also measures in place to stop people from recycling incorrectly. According to Freedom of Information gathered from UK Councils, 43% of Councils have employees who will snoop through bins to find anything that's contaminated or wrongly recycled. And in which case, 79% of Councils will refuse to collect the waste.

By having these measures in place, Councils should be able to recycle a high majority of waste. In fact, Confused.com's League Table reveals Caerphilly County Borough Council has an impressive recycling rate of 81%. And this is perhaps because it has extensive enforcement measures in place and will issue warnings, monitor and refuse to empty bins with contaminated items.

However, research shows that very few people don't recycle at all, which raises the question of why some Councils aren't meeting recycling targets. And it seems much of the confusion comes down to certain items, such as black plastic, tin foil, and even receipts. To clear up this confusion, Confused.com has taken the top 10 items people are most baffled about and simplified the rules. Polystyrene topped the list, which is in fact not recyclable. But according to the research, 57% of people will put it in with the recycling. But people aren't necessarily blaming Councils and putting the responsibility on them to save the planet. In fact, 52% are calling for manufacturers to reduce the amount of plastic used in packaging. And recent news shows that some companies are pledging to reduce excess packaging in supermarkets in the next 5 years; a positive step towards reducing the amount of plastic we're using.

There are also some people who would like to see wrongdoers punished, with 15% calling for fines issued to households, and 11% suggesting prosecution. Currently, a small number of Councils will issue fines to people, often repeat offenders. In fact, research shows 7% of Brits have faced a fine of ₤92, on average, for incorrect recycling. It's surprising this isn't higher, given how many people aren't recycling correctly, even if they're doing so unknowingly. But when it comes to recycling, there isn't a o1 rule for all. Some Councils will have the one, but some have as many as 5. And current recycling guidelines mean that many Councils could have different bins to their neighbouring authorities. It's no wonder people don't quite know where to put their plastic bottles or their empty cartons. Or even if they can be recycled. But, perhaps with consistent rules across the UK, people would be more encouraged to recycle properly.

Tom Vaughan, Head of Home at Confused.com, says:- "We want to recycle, but there's so much confusion around how best to get rid of our rubbish that we aren't all doing it properly. It's shocking how many of us are unknowingly putting non-recyclable items into recycling bins, like receipts or coffee cups. Or aren't recycling items that can be. To help, we've simplified the rules for some of the most confusing items. You might be shocked to see what can or can't be recycled. It doesn't help that Councils seem to have different rules. We know that this is often down to resources and out of their control. But there needs to be some level of consistency across the board to keep people motivated to recycle. Councils are proactively putting measures in place to encourage recycling. And as our League Table shows, Councils with measures in place are recycling more waste. But simplifying the way we recycle across the UK will be a huge step in keeping recycling rates high."