West Sussex to introduce charging at HWRCs
Changes are set to come into force to West Sussex’s 11 Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) from Saturday (1 October).
The changes will affect opening times, and will see the introduction of disposal charges for non-household items such as soil, hard-core, plasterboard and tyres. There will be no charges for green waste, which includes grass cuttings, at the HWRCs.
Non-household waste will be charged at £4 per rubble bag or part bag, or per item or per sheet of plasterboard. The council will provide one free rubble bag per resident at HWRCs for a limited time.
The disposal of all other household waste and recycling materials will remain free of charge.
Cllr David Barling, West Sussex county council’s cabinet member for residents’ services, said: “With increased demand for other essential services coupled with reduced government funding, as a council we needed to live within our means, and make savings.
“These changes will help us to make those critical savings, while still maintaining a comprehensive service for residents.”
The decision was taken after considering responses from residents in a public consultation, and comments from parish, district and borough councils.
Cllr Barling added: “This was a decision taken very carefully after considering the views of residents.
“I considered all of the possible options available, and decided that as we did not want to shut sites and also to keep sites open at weekends this was the most realistic option to take.”
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Bexley launches recycling rewards scheme
The London Borough of Bexley has opened its recycling rewards scheme for up to 78,000 households, run by Local Green Points.
‘London Green Points – Bexley’ is open to around 78,000 households in the borough and will see residents able to win up to £15,000 in contributions to local charities and community projects.
All residents living in houses in the Borough, who are eligible for the scheme, will be sent a London Green Points – Bexley welcome pack in early October with details on what they can win for themselves and for local charities.
They will then receive a recycling rewards card and key fob which they can use to get discounts and special offers from over 65 local businesses.
Households in the Borough have been spilt into 21 communities, with each one representing a ward in Bexley, and each will compete to earn Green Points. The amount of rubbish and recycling produced by each community will be measured (by weighing the trucks as they finish their collection rounds) and those who make the biggest improvements will earn most ‘Green Points’.
Cllr Peter Craske, Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Environment and Leisure said:
“I’d encourage as many householders as possible to sign up for this exciting new recycling scheme and win donations for valuable local community projects.”
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King’s Lynn and West Norfolk seeks views on recycling service
King’s Lynn and West Norfolk council in East Anglia is seeking views form householders on the future of its waste and recycling service ahead of potential changes to the way waste is handled in the borough.
The council is carrying out a consultation in a bid to ‘improve’ its recycling and waste service and to identify areas that residents may be dissatisfied with under the current system.
The leader of the borough council, Councillor Brian Long, said: “Most local people do a really great job in recycling their waste, but we know that some residents are putting the wrong things in their recycling, or are putting recycling in the black bin. It’s a problem that is costing our Council Taxpayers around £250,000 a year – money that could be spent on other services.
“We really need to understand what will encourage people to increase their recycling and reduce their black bin waste, and we need to know if there are changes we can introduce that will make recycling more attractive.”
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Roadshows spread recycling message in NW Leicestershire
North West Leicestershire district council has hosted a series of ‘Recycling Roadshows’ to encourage more people to recycle as part of its ongoing work to improve recycling rates.
Roadshows were held at Ashby de la Zouch, Castle Donington, and Coalville throughout August and September. More than 230 people received information, tips and leaflets on recycling methods, including a talk on the process following waste collection.
Participants also had the chance to receive gifts including pencils made from newspapers and rulers made from vending cups.
John Bright, waste services development officer, who represented the team at the roadshows commented: “It’s always great to be able to speak to residents face-to-face about our service, answering any queries they may have and providing advice on recycling.”
Cllr Alison Smith, deputy leader and portfolio holder for community services at North West Leicestershire district council, said: “We believe that the recycling roadshows are a fantastic opportunity for residents to gain a good understanding of how to best go about recycling their waste. It provides a fun and interactive learning environment.”
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