The Dennis Eagle vehicles cost a combined 600,000 and are covered in advertising encouraging householders to recycle both paper and green waste. The vehicles display every step of the 'paper cycle', from reader to recycler to the paper mill and back to newsprint to demonstrate that recycled paper has a use.
Councillor Penny Butterill, portfolio holder for the local environment said: “The recycling branding and advertising on the sides of the trucks acts as a constant reminder to our residents that they need to separate their waste so that we can reuse paper and garden waste rather than having to dump it into landfill sites.”
The council introduced kerbside collection's of paper last year and already its recycling rate has risen from 8% to 12%. Crewe is aiming to hit its 2006 target of 18% having already achieved the 2003/2004, 10% objective.
 One of Crewe's new collection vehicles displaying it's recycling message |
Funding for the four vehicles was made through the sale of collected recyclables and through savings from cutting the use of hired vehicles on collections.
The council worked hand in hand with the collection team in order to discuss the best use of the new vehicles, they believe the suggestions from the team will lead to a faster kerbside collection of paper and green waste.
The collected paper is sent to Deeside-based recyclers UPM Shotton who turn the waste back into newsprint at its 120 million recovered fibre pulping facility.
The borough's green waste is currently collected from around two thirds of the households and Crewe currently has plans to extend the programme. The council sees now as an ideal time to increase the level of the service with the autumn leaves and plants being disposed of. The green waste is taken to a nearby farm in Elton, Sandbach, where it is composted before being used on the land.
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