The council has had numerous complaints about uncollected refuse, and it has been reported that many residents were unaware of the changes to the service, in which different recyclables will be collected on alternate weeks.
Colchester has a recycling rate of about 25% for 2003/04, a healthy increase on its 20% rate the previous year. The new collection system was introduced after a pilot in the Mersea Island area of the borough produced recycling rates of 60%.
The council collects green waste and plastic as well as general refuse one week, with dry recyclables – glass, cans, foil, textiles, paper and card – picked up the next. The council is using a fleet of multi-compartment vehicles that can pick up recyclables as well as domestic refuse.
But the new system has had to be tweaked to remove teething problems, Colchester's head of street services, John Simpson, said.
“We have made some slight adjustments to the new routes and also to the arrangements for crews and this will help us to further improve the service we are providing,” he said. “We know that there have been hotspots and it is important residents tell us if there are issues with collections so we can act quickly.”
The service is now running well, and residents using it recognised that it will increase recycling rates and reduce costs for the taxpayer “once it has bedded down,” Mr Simpson said.
Guide
Waste policy manager Chris Dowsing said the town hall had used a “wide range” of means to inform residents of the changes, from local media coverage to publishing its own recycling guide.
“These guides were delivered to households throughout the borough by [local newspaper publishers] Newsquest through their letterbox service during March and we apologise if there are residents who haven't received a copy,” Mr Dowsing added.
Extra copies of the guide are available and crews are posting a special leaflet through people's doors if they put out the wrong recyclables, he said.
Meanwhile, the council has been forced to temporarily close its Greenstead civic amenity site for health and safety reasons, relating partly to congestion and traffic problems.
Mr Simpson said: “We are working hard to resolve these issues as quickly as possible. We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the closure of the site.”
Residents are being urged to use nearby civic amenity sites at Shrub End and Mersea.
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