Gravesham borough council in North West Kent is to move from a weekly to a fortnightly recycling collections service from next month, whilst keeping residual waste collections on a weekly rotation.
The in-house commingled service for recyclables will include the collection of metal cans, paper and card, plastic bottles as well as adding plastic pots, tubs and trays in new wheeled bins. However there is still no kerbside collection service for glass, which can be deposited at the boroughs household waste and recycling centres (HWRCs).
Changes have been made to the service in line with a survey carried out by the council in 2013. Switching to a fortnightly bin from a clear bag collection for recyclables proved to be the most popular option for residents. The introduction of wheeled bins has also enabled the council to reduce the frequency of collections.
In addition, a food waste collection service is being launched, which will be collected weekly alongside the councils existing black bag collection service, with food waste from households to be sent for in-vessel composting (IVC) in Kent.
The council also plans to introduce wheeled bins for residual waste from June 2016.The changes are being funded through a 4.9 million grant over a three year period from DCLGs 250 million weekly collections fund. The council believes recycling rates could see up to a 10% improvement as a result of the changes.
The council has operated a weekly refuse collection alongside a commingled clear bag recycling scheme since 2003, with residents encouraged to take glass, clothes and shoes to HWRCs. Domestic properties can also request a collection of clinical and sharps waste.
Green waste
Residents can also either pay 35 each year for a fortnightly wheeled bin collection of green waste, or can buy a book of five garden waste tickets for 2.50. The tickets are attached to a green waste bag and collected alongside the residual waste bags.
According to the council, as well as food waste caddies, 80% of houses will receive a new 240-litre recycling bin under the new service, with houses considered unsuitable for the fortnightly service continuing to use clear sack collections.
The council has a contract with waste container manufacturer Straight for the supply of 820,000 of container products including wheeled bins, and kitchen and kerbside caddies (see letsrecycle.com story).
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Gravesham had one of the lowest recycling and composting rates in England in 2012/13 at 24.47%, but Defra waste minister Dan Rogerson in March praised the Kent Resource Partnership (KRP)s work in increasing its recycling rate to 44.9% at a time when Englands progress is flatlining (see letsrecycle.com story).
The KRP represents 13 councils in Kent including Gravesham in respect to their functions for waste collections, waste disposal and street cleansing. The Partnership is targeting a recycling rate of 45% by 2015/16 and 50% by 2020/21.
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