Food waste to be collected across Southwark

Southwark council in London has today (June 22) unveiled plans to roll-out weekly food waste collections to nearly 47,000 households.

The announcement follows the success of a six-month trial carried out in conjunction with Southwarks waste contractor Veolia Environmental Services. And, it is set to coincide with Southwark switching to a commingled dry recycling service.

The food waste trial, which was launched in September 2010, saw 10,000 homes across the London borough issued with indoor caddies, which they were then permitted to empty into their green waste wheeled bins (see letsrecycle.com story).

The trial indicated, according to the council, that rolling out the service to 47,000 households could boost its recycling rate by as much as 5%. Southwark said 96% of residents who responded to a council survey on the food waste service hailed it as a good idea.

The roll-out of the food waste service to the 47,000 households will be undertaken in October 2011 and mean that nearly two-fifths of residents in Southwark will be able to recycle food waste. Residents in estates will not yet be offered the service.

Southwark had originally planned to introduce food waste collections in 2015 but opted to bring the decision forward.

Councillor Barrie Hargrove, cabinet member for transport, environment and recycling at Southwark council, said: This is a win, win, win for the borough the response to our food waste pilot was overwhelmingly positive and well liked, so we expect it to prove popular in these additional homes; the expansion of it should boost our boroughs recycling rates.

Twin-stream

Meanwhile, the council intends to shift from its current twin-stream dry recycling collection service- using a box and a bag to a commingled service, which will see residents issued with a 240 litre blue wheeled bin.

This will include a switch from weekly recycling collections to fortnightly collections, in a move which Southwark claims will help save it 375,000 over three years due to reduced vehicle movements.

The council will also start to collect Tetra Paks, such as fruit juice cartons, which previously had to be taken to special drop off points in the borough.

Cllr Hargrove said: The introduction of wheelie bins gives residents more recycling space while making it easier to do. When we implement these changes in the autumn, well be taking a massive stride towards our goal of doubling the boroughs recycling rate and that has to be a good thing.

Simon Bussell, managing director for Veolia Environmental Services in Southwark, added: We have worked closely with Southwark Council to develop this scheme. It has been through considerable testing and feedback processes in the pilot area and we believe it will bring great benefits to the way that waste is handled in the borough.

We fully support these developments and look forward to implementing the proposed improvements for residents.

Under the long-term contract with Veolia, Southwark has started developing an 85,000 tonnes-a-year capacity mechanical biological treatment (MBT) facility (see letsrecycle.com story).