The new kerbside collection, which will run alongside Lambeth's existing green box scheme, is due to be rolled out across the borough in April 2004. The orange sack will collect mixed dry recyclables and allows residents to choose between the sack and the box.
The introduction of the orange sack brings Lambeth into line with its neighbouring boroughs of Wandsworth and Hammersmith & Fulham who are also part of the Western Riverside Waste Disposal Authority. These two boroughs reported over 120% increases in their recycling rates following the introduction of similar orange sack schemes in April 2003 (see letsrecycle.com story).
Councillor Clare Whelan, executive member for environment at Lambeth council, said: “I’m thrilled about this bid and the choice it gives residents to recycle more waste. It will also help us reach the government’s target of recycling 21% of our waste by 2005.”
Lambeth council is predicting a 40% increase in recycling in the new scheme which allows residents to collect card and plastics for recycling as well as the materials currently covered by the green box including paper, glass, aluminium foil, cans, engine oil, textiles and shoes.
Pilot
The London Borough of Lambeth has also revealed the results of the first four weeks of a trial scheme that has seen 50% of collected waste being recycled.
The scheme, which will run for a year, has been called Total Recycling Scheme and covers just 500 households. The council is working alongside its waste contractor Cleanaway and its Waste Disposal Authority's Rethink Rubbish Western Riverside Campaign to trial different collection and communication methods.
Kate Radford from the Rethink Rubbish Western Riverside Campaign said: “The Lambeth trial scheme shows how, by working in partnership, we can dramatically increase recycling rates.”
The weekly kerbside pilot scheme collects dry recyclables in the orange sacks or green boxes. In addition it also collects kitchen and garden organic waste in a green wheelie bin as well as the residual waste in a grey bin.
Ms Radford said of the trial's success so far: “Residents in the trial are now putting out more recycling than rubbish. This has been achieved through coherent planning of operational issues, service delivery, operative training, communications, monitoring and evaluation. Although this trial is in its early stages we hope that it can act as a case study for councils nationwide.”
The council's household waste recycling rate for 2001-2002 was 8.9%, for 2003-04 it has a statutory target of 14% and by 2005-06 it must be recycling 21%.
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