Trial of monthly bin collections would be ‘too soon’

A PLAN to consider trialling monthly bin collections in Blaenau Gwent in 2021 would come “too soon”, a councillor has said.

A new draft waste management and recycling strategy being considered by the council suggests considering reducing the frequency of bin collections to cut down on waste and increase recycling.

The strategy suggests trialling monthly bin collections in 2021/22, with a target of implementing the change across the borough the following year.

It also says a review of the frequency of bin collections in the borough will be made next year, ahead of any changes to the current three weekly service.

But at a community services scrutiny meeting on Monday, Cllr Wayne Hodgins said the authority needed to be mindful that many residents are currently “struggling with three weekly bin collections.”

Councillor Hodgins said any such change should not be made considered until “a number of years into the strategy”, adding that the proposed trial date would also come too quickly after the opening of a second Household Waste and Recycling Centre in the borough. “It’s too soon,” he said. “With a four weekly bin collection they would be having calls left, right and centre. It is not palatable at this stage.”

Matthew Perry, service manager in neighbourhood services, said reducing bin collections “has to be looked at” to help meet a Welsh Government recycling target of 70% by 2024/25.

Conwy became the first council in Wales and England to introduce monthly collections last year, and Mr Perry said it has seen “big improvements” as a result.

Councillor Lisa Winnett said that aThe committee backed the draft strategy, providing it gets the opportunity to consider any changes before being implemented.