When you are deciding what trips to go on for a day out this summer – the local waste site doesn’t usually spring to mind but that is exactly what 30 people from South Manchester did last Wednesday.
The other members of the Education Team and I opened the doors of the recycling facility and the new education centre at Longley Lane, Sharston, to local people to let them see what goes on at this busy site.
The group, a mix of local residents, children and grandchildren firstly watched an enjoyable film about where the waste goes in Greater Manchester, then they excitedly kitted up for the site visit in hard hats, high visibility vests, goggles and gloves and walkie talkies!
The main focus of the visit was to show the group how the recycling is sorted in the Materials Recovery Facility. Everyone was amazed at the huge pile of recycling in the tipping hall and the network of conveyor belts moving the glass, plastic bottles and cans through various machines to separate all the different materials. They met the huge magnet that removes the steel cans, little and big eddy that sort out the Aluminium before it is squashed. Aladdin our ‘fandangled’ computer sorts out the plastic bottles with a laser eye and cyclone who cleans up the glass after the glass breaker and finally all the neat piles of materials ready to be sent off to be made into new things.
The group all enjoyed the visit and were amazed at the quantities of materials and technologies being used to sort them.
If you are thinking that these 30 people are unusual in how they choose to spend their time – there are at least another 90 people booked onto our other open days at other waste sites!
Not booked on, then check out our videos of all the recycling facilities in Greater Manchester and find out how they work on our Education pages , simply log in with a valid e mail and watch at your leisure.
Alison Heaton, Education Officer
