Kerbside recycling success in Wiltshire

THE success of Wiltshire’s kerbside collection of plastic bottles, cardboard, paper, cans, textiles, glass bottles and garden waste has led to a review of the county’s mini-recycling sites.

Households across Wiltshire recycled more than 68,000 tonnes last year through the kerbside collections, including garden waste. 36,000 tonnes of this came from the black box and blue lidded bin collections, meaning the smaller recycling sites in the county are now used very little – less than 3,000 tonnes is expected to be collected through the mini recycling sites this year.

Since the introduction of the new kerbside collections there has been a sharp fall in the amount of waste being taken to mini recycling sites, such as those in car parks. As a result, the remaining 126 mini-recycling sites in Wiltshire will be removed, with the money saved by reducing this service duplication being ploughed back into vital council services.

Signs informing people about the proposed changes will be displayed from early April, and the sites will be removed from early May.

Toby Sturgis, cabinet member for waste said, “The kerbside collection of recyclable waste has been extremely successful. We are delighted people are using this service and recycling more of their household waste than ever before. The amount we pay in landfill tax will increase to £80 per tonne this year, so every pound we save by recycling more, is an extra pound we can spend on vital services in Wiltshire.”

Any households without a blue lidded plastic bottle and cardboard bin or a black recycling box, can obtain one by contacting the council on 0300 456 0102 or by visiting our website at www.wiltshire. gov.uk/newbinform. Households can also have up to two black recycling boxes for recycling paper, glass, cans and textiles.

On occasions where households have more recyclables than can fit into two black boxes, extra materials can be separated into carrier bags and placed out for collection alongside the black box (bags of mixed materials may not be collected).

Anyone who feels they do not have space for extra bins or boxes can contact the council to discuss alternatives. Residents who do not currently receive a garden waste collection can also opt-in to this free service by contacting the council on 0300 456 0100 or visiting www.wiltshire.gov.uk/rubbishandrecycling.