Part of Hampshire's Project Integra partnership, the borough achieved the highest rate in England for the collection of dry recyclables during 2002/03. Almost 28% of its household waste was recycled in that year, but the borough had a zero composting rate.
”People are in their gardens all months of the year now – it makes sense to collect green waste throughout the year.“
– Martin Cole, Eastleigh BC
Following a successful DEFRA-funded trial of green waste collections for 8,500 properties last year, Eastleigh's members have decided to fund collections for all 47,000 households in the borough.
The expansion will take place in two equally-sized phases in June and September this year, using 60-litre re-usable green plastic bags provided by Northamptonshire-based JMJ bulk Packaging.
Martin Cole, Eastleigh's recycling officer, said: “We decided against using wheeled bins, because in summer material can start to compost in the bin. But re-usable sacks like these allow the material to breathe, so it doesn't break down before it is collected.”
All-year
Unlike some other councils' green waste collections, Eastleigh will continue its weekly collections throughout the year.
Mr Cole explained: “We found in our pilot, which began in July last year, that people are in their gardens all months of the year now – we collected 62 tonnes in December, we even collected seven tonnes during Christmas week. So we've decided that it makes sense to collect green waste throughout the year.”
Eastleight's pilot from July to March has collected about 660 tonnes of green waste, about 16 or 17 tonnes a week, and once the full effects of the borough-wide collections come into force, Mr Cole said he hoped that about 2,500 tonnes would be collected each year.
Material will go to the Down End composting facility near Fareham to be turned into Pro Grow compost, which residents can buy and which is also used in compost material sold at DIY stores.
 Eastleigh will be using the Rotopress vehicle from FAUN for its collections |
Rotopress
Eastleigh is collecting its green waste in a Rotopress vehicle from Anglesey-based FAUN Municipal Vehicles Ltd, which turns the green waste so that by the time it reaches the composting facility, it is a well-mixed load.
Mr Cole said: “The Rotopress vehicle is not compressing the green waste, but it turns it so that it's a homogenous load – you end up with this lovely consistent material. Before going in the vehicle, it's first put into a slave bin, which means that any contaminants can be easily removed.”
Other councils that have placed orders for FAUN Rotopress vehicles include the London boroughs of Barnet and Bexley, while Wakefield metropolitan district council now has six of the vehicles in operation.
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