NEW BIN COLLECTIONS ARE NO WASTE OF TIME
New figures show Bury’s recycling rate has increased by more than ten per cent
COUNCIL bosses have hailed the success of bin collections once every three weeks.
Last October households in Bury became the first in the country to have their rubbish bins reduced to collections once every three weeks – and 10 months on the council says it has dramatically improved the town’s recycling rates.
The reduction in collections, which attracted widespread controversy, applies only to grey bins – for rubbish which can’t be recycled. Green bins for paper and cardboard and blue bins for plastic and glass are being collected more often, once every three weeks instead of monthly.
New figures show Bury’s recycling rate has increased by more than 10 per cent. It now stands at 57.5 per cent of all household waste thrown away in wheelie bins.
The amount of green bin waste has increased by 454 tonnes and blue bin waste, including metal, tins and plastic bottles, is up by 466 tonnes. More than 644 tonnes of food and garden waste is now being recycled – and the amount of non-recyclable, grey bin waste has dropped by more than 3,923 tonnes.
Coun Tony Isherwood, the council’s cabinet member for environment, said: “These figures show that, overall, the new system has been a success. Residents should be proud of the part that they have played in improving Bury’s recycling rates.
“The cost to dispose of one tonne of grey bin waste has risen by £24 to £308 per tonne, huge costs which we can avoid if we recycle all we can and put the right waste in the right bin.
“This is vital, when the council is facing yet another year of multi-million pound cuts. Every penny we save through recycling is a penny less that we have to cut from other frontline services.”
There have been complaints, however, and since last October, 285 requests from larger families for additional grey bins and waste audits have been approved. Large families and those with ‘special circumstances’ can apply for an extra bin and advice over disposable nappies is available for individual households.
Coun Isherwood added: “While these recycling rates are impressive, we can’t rest on our laurels. We must strive to push that recycling rate as high as we possibly can, towards 60 per cent and beyond, and I appeal to residents to continue to do all they can to help us reach these targets.”
Rochdale council is also considering collecting general, grey bin waste every three weeks instead of two, to save on landfill costs and boost recycling rates.
If approved, the new collections will begin in September.