The authority has published figures indicating that it recycled nearly 930 tonnes of plastic bottles last year, equivalent to 23 million bottles, collected through a network of 39 banks around the city.
Bristol is now aiming to recycle over two million bottles a month following the opening of three additional banks in the city.
It claims the figures mean it is the second-best local authority in the UK in terms of plastic bottles recycled via banks, according to a report set to be jointly published by the Waste & Resources Action Programme and recycling organisation Recoup.
However, a spokeswoman for Recoup told letsrecycle.com that the council had “jumped the gun” by revealing its nationwide position; and that it would have obtained its information during the data validation process for the report which is set to be formally published during National Recycling Week, which begins on June 2.
As a result she explained that she was unable to reveal the identity of the council claiming top spot for plastic bottle recycling via banks.
Food waste
Bristol's attempt to increase its recycling rates has also seen it introduce a pilot scheme for food waste recycling in around 30 of its schools, involving the collection of all cooked and uncooked food waste produced in the schools' kitchens and classrooms.
The scheme, which is being co-ordinated by the council in association with its waste collections contractor SITA, is due to run until the end of the current school year in July, and there is the potential to roll it out to all the city's schools if it proves successful.
The council's executive member for children and young people's services, Derek Pickup, commented: “Introducing kitchen waste recycling in our schools has a double benefit. Not only are we further increasing the amount of waste produced in our city that is recycled, we are also teaching our children the importance of minimising waste and ensuring it is dealt with responsibly.
“If children are recycling at school they are much more likely to get into a routine of recycling waste that they will follow at home.”
James Smith, SITA's recycling manager, added: “The new collections have been enthusiastically embraced by all schools in the pilot scheme, with everyone from kitchen staff and caretakers, to head teachers wanting to be involved.”
Bristol began a city-wide food waste collection service for householders in 2006, as well as a charged green waste collection (see letsrecycle.com story), and in 2006-07, the council achieved a 31.94% recycling and composting rate.
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