The north Yorkshire district is distributing wheelie bins to an additional 13,100 homes with collections due to start in September 2003. This comes after a nine-month pilot scheme of 5,000 households in Thirsk proved successful with the analysis of the pilot showing a recycling and composting rate of 33.2%.
The green waste scheme involves an alternate weekly collection of green waste and residual waste. Over the next two years the council plans to roll out the green waste scheme across all its 36,000 households.
Councillor David Blades, cabinet spokesperson on environmental health, said: “The scheme is a vital component to our plans to increase recycling figures. But in order for it to be a success residents must think about what they are throwing away – and how they dispose of it. We are constantly increasing the number of recycling centres in the district to help them.”
As well as a leaflet drop and visiting parish councils, the council has planned a high profile launch of the wheelie bin scheme. On July 25 in Easingwold there will be a carnival-style roadshow with street theatre, stilt walkers and a plastic bottle mountain. Additionally, council officers will be visiting 46 town and village venues to promote and explain the scheme.
Mr Blades said: “The roadshows will give residents a chance to find out how the scheme affects them and voice any concerns they may have. We will value their comments.”
The council's recycling rate for 2002-03 is around 15%, a significant increase on the 9.6% the year before. Its statutory targets for 2003-04 is 16% and for 2005 24%.
“By using this system of wheelie bins – and their success is being proved at Thirsk – we believe we will not only achieve the government targets but exceed them,” said Mr Blades.
Paper
The council is also rolling out its kerbside paper collection across a further 2,546 households. The council claims that since the paper collection started last year covering 20,000 households there has been a 3% increase in recycling rates.
The council has also decided to invest a further 25,000 into expanding the paper scheme across a further 8,000 homes, which means it will cover 82% of the district.
Yorwaste have been contracted by the council to conduct the paper collections. Some of the paper goes to make animal bedding at Middleham.
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