The success comes despite the fact that in nearby Brighton SITA agreed to pay the council 3 million in compensation last week to end its five-year refuse collection contract after only 18 months.
SITA's two-year contract with East Sussex County Council is worth 1.7 million a year and the company is aiming for a 35% recycling rate in the first year and 40% in the second year.
East Sussex’s household waste recycling centres previously achieved a recycling rate of around 20% but in the first month of the SITA's new contract, rates of 30% have been recorded.
The increase in recycling is the result of the waste management company introducing a number of recycling initiatives. SITA has developed new facilities at the sites which means that people can now recycle their green waste, hard core building material and soil. These measures have seen recycling rates of 32% achieved at the Wadhurst site and 34% at Heathfield site.
Alan Knott, SITA’s contract manager for the sites, said: “The successful recycling rates are a result of team effort by a conscientious workforce, the support of the county council and local residents. The staff encourage residents to segregate and place their waste in the appropriate containers.
He added: “We are on target to meet the recycling rates agreed with the council for the first year, and with residents’ support we will hopefully exceed this target.”
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