Speaking at a “Message in a Bottle” seminar in London, David Newman, waste development officer for Hammersmith and Fulham defended the need for some inner city boroughs to concentrate on collecting comingled recyclables and separating them at a Materials Recycling Facility (MRF).
He said: “Sorting on the street side is not possible in my borough, the residents would lynch my drivers. The vehicles would block up the roads during collection.”
And Mr Newman went on to explain the advantages of the council's current collection scheme. “The vehicle doesn't have to stop because the guys run alongside throwing the bags in the back of the truck. It is a speedy collection and it doesn't inconvenience road users much,” he said.
Mr Newman also talked about the use of sacks rather than boxes for the collection of recyclable materials. He explained that it meant the same type of vehicle could be used for both collections, with the same method of the collectors running alongside the vehicle and throwing the sacks in the back.
And he pointed out that once the sack is collected the street is clear, with boxes they can remain on the street until a resident comes home from work. The boxes can be a safety risk for people with pushchairs or the blind.
For Mr Newman, though, the reason the recycling scheme has been a success in the borough is its simplicity. He said: “What could be simpler? Collect waste in one bag, recyclables in another and make sure you put it out on the right day. If you make recycling easy people will do it.”
Hammersmith and Fulham operates a weekly collection service using orange bags for all recyclables. Since the scheme started the recycling rate in the borough has increased from 8.5% to 15.3%, the next government-set target is 24%.
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