Recycling bins being installed around Rochdale town centre

Recycling bins are being installed around Rochdale town centre as part of the council’s commitment to its green agenda

FIifteen recycling bins are being installed around Rochdale town centre as part of the council’s commitment to its green agenda.

If the idea proves popular and successful, there are plans to extend it to other centres across the borough.

The new metal bins are for plastics and glass and can be found sited next to the normal bins dotted around the centre. They should all be in place over the next two weeks.

Council leader, Councillor Richard Farnell said: “The introduction of these bins is yet another example of the council’s determination to make Rochdale green and clean, but we need the public’s help to make this successful. We can only provide the facilities for people to recycle; we can’t do it for them.

“That’s why we say we’ll extend the scheme if it’s popular and successful; people need to use the new bins first.”

The latest kerbside recycling figures have shown that the borough’s residents are more careful about what rubbish they put in which bin.

In just one month this year (February to March) the rate jumped from 46.5% to over 49%.

A recent food waste campaign proved particularly successful, resulting in a 150% increase in the number of brown bins/caddies requested; 234 in just seven days.

The council's drive to improve recycling rates has saved more than £3M in the past three years by reducing the amount of waste sent for expensive landfil.

Councillor Farnell added: “People need to appreciate that throwing rubbish costs the council - and local taxpayers - money. That’s why it’s so important that we have the public’s support when we introduce schemes to increase recycling rates and lower rubbish sent to landfill.”