The project, which cost the council 25,000, involved replacing a plastic bag collection for households with 240-litre wheeled bins. The bins are fitted with electronic microchips that by using special collection vehicles will monitor the weight of waste versus recyclables that each household is producing.
Householders have been given a green bin for recyclables and a grey one for other waste, which is collected on alternating weeks. The green bins are for paper, card, cans and plastic bottles, but the service does not collect glass, which residents can recycle at bring sites.
The information gathered by the waste trucks and the microchips is being used by the University of East Anglia (UEA). The UEA received of a 90,000 Landfill Tax Credit Scheme grant from the Environmental Project Agency. The UEA School of Environmental Sciences is helping the council assess the effectiveness of the new scheme and identify areas with low recycling. The chips can also help track stolen or lost bins, but the information is not being used to track individuals’ waste production.
Mark Allen, direct services manager for South Norfolk council, said: “While the bins are being weighed primarily for research purposes, the fact that people know their bins are being weighed seems to concentrate their mind on recycling and makes them try harder.”
The council claims that in the trial area of 1215 homes, the recycling rate was 36%. This is a considerable achievement compared to the district average of 13%. The council also reports a low contamination of just 5%.
Flats
A somewhat surprising success was found in the Hanover Gardens residential flats for the elderly, which managed to achieve a 60% recycling rate. The flats needed extra attention from the council, introducing smaller bins for bin cupboards and ensuring the lifts were kept clean. “It took us a long time,” said Mr Allen, “but now they’re one of our best. The residents don’t call it recycling though. They call it ‘salvage’!”
With the help of a 212,000 government grant, the scheme is now being expanded to include a quarter of households in the district.
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