RESIDENTS across Carlisle will be able to support a local charity by recycling old crisp packets.

The City Council and waste management company TerraCycle UK, have partnered with Walkers for the Crisp Packet Recycling Scheme. Empty packets will be collected by Carlisle City Council and will be sent to TerraCycle to be cleaned, shredded and turned into plastic pellets.

Those pellets are then transformed into items such as park benches, waste bins, playground equipment and fence posts.

The packets often contain metallised plastic film - a product which looks like foil but is actually plastic and metal - which isn’t widely recycled. Any brand of crisp packet is accepted, but not popcorn bags, meat snack bags or crisp tubes.

Crisp packets can be recycled at Longtown Community Centre; Impact Furniture Services, Nelson Street; plus Currock, Denton Holme and Harraby community centres.

For every kilo of crisp packets recycling, Eden Valley Hospice will benefit from a financial reward from TerraCycle.

Natalie Bingham, Eden Valley Hospice’s corporate relationship co-ordinator said: ‘’This is such a wonderful initiative and we’re absolutely delighted that Carlisle City Council have chosen to support Eden Valley Hospice as their chosen charity.

“A huge thank you to Carlisle City Council for their support and we look forward to seeing this scheme develop and hopefully roll out to even more public sites, giving people more opportunities to recycle.’’

Cllr Nigel Christian, portfolio holder for environment and transport added: “We are always looking at different ways of expanding what and how we can recycle.

“Crisp packets recycling through the TerraCycle schemes provides a financial benefit to our chosen charity - Eden Valley Hospice.

“We’re looking to expand the scheme to even more community buildings within the city.”

For more information, visit: www.carlisle.gov.uk/recycling