Wiltshire swimming pools recycle used flip flops and floats

Swimmers are being encouraged to recycle their pool accessories such as goggles and armbands.

With the installation of recycle points, pool equipment that would normally have been sent to landfill can now be recycled and reused.

The Leisure Loop Recycling Scheme is now in place at four swimming pools across Wiltshire.

It is estimated that the average pool will generate roughly 15kg (2st 4lb) of waste every two to three months.

Residents can visit the centres to recycle used pool-related objects such as flip flops, goggles, floats, armbands, kickboards, pull buoys and swim caps.

Once collected, the items are sorted and separated into material type and then into colour.

The material is then shredded into tiny pieces and washed to create a new raw material.

This is then used to create new products for the industry such as flip flops - thus closing the 'leisure loop'.

Within the first week of the scheme, the project has already collected 15kg of waste.

Alex Muse, business development manager at Wiltshire Council, said: "It is a lot, it shows the interest of recycling these items and for them not to be going to landfill."

Lizzy, who comes to the pool with her son, said: "Little kids are growing out of stuff all the time and having somewhere to recycle stuff rather than just throw it away is really useful and so much better for the planet."

The scheme is in place at Five Rivers Health & Wellbeing Centre in Salisbury, the Olympiad Leisure Centre in Chippenham, Trowbridge Sports Centre and The Vale Community Campus in Pewsey.

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