Council plans home visits to encourage recycling

Residents encouraged to recycle more in the right bin

To help increase recycling rates in the borough, from 8 April 2015 a team of council staff will be visiting residents to encourage them to recycle more in the right bin and to order any recycling bins they do not have.

The campaign will run for nine weeks and aims to increase the number of light green recycling bins (mixed recycling) and blue recycling bins (paper and card recycling).

Bins ordered on the door step will be delivered within 21 working days.

Households currently on a food and garden waste collection will also be offered free compostable liners as an incentive to recycle more food waste.

All householders will be given a leaflet explaining what materials are collected in each of the recycling bins to help residents recycle more in the right bin. If the resident is not at home, both the recycling leaflet and a freepost bin order form will be posted through the letter box.

Martin Taylor, Head of Environmental Management Services, said: “The borough recycled 34% of its waste in 2014. Recycling 5% more could save the borough £1.2 million a year in disposal costs, which would help safeguard other essential services. This campaign is part of a thorough review of the current waste and recycling service we deliver; with a view to significantly improve recycling performance and reduce the cost of disposal.”

It currently costs the Council £10 every time a general waste bin (dark green bin) is emptied and costs are increasing each year. Recycling more in the right bin and using the dark green bin less will help to protect public services.