The 'Kerbside collection of recyclables and compostable waste' document encourages green waste collections, saying that these are an essential part of a recycling service.
“Kerbside collections for dry recyclables alone will not enable councils to meet their higher statutory recycling and composting targets. The introduction of organic waste schemes will be an integral part of these targets being achieved,” it explains.
Various case studies from councils which run successful green waste schemes are also included in the document, such as St Edmundsbury council, which achieved a 25% recycling rate in 2000/2001 through the composting of green waste only.
Elsewhere in the document, the increase in alternate weekly collections of residual and recyclable waste is noted. The decision on whether to collect residual waste fortnightly is seen as a key issue in the report.
Nearly a quarter of councils are now operating an alternate weekly collection, it explains. “The key benefit to the local authority is that alternate weekly collections allow differing waste streams to be collected without large additional investment in vehicles and staff,” says the report.
It notes that these schemes can be controversial with residents, but says: “In practice, the majority of households have no problems with the system.” It suggests than any authority contemplating using alternate collection is “strongly advised” to study existing schemes.”
A definite increase in the amount of recyclables collected when using an alternate weekly service is noted in the document, particularly when the council uses bins rather than sacks or boxes to collect recyclables.
But the study points out that bins are not as effective as boxes for spotting contamination and also added that boxes were suitable for a weekly collection of dry recyclables.
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