Currently, glass is placed in a green box with a divider to separate it from plastics and cans, while some residents have a separate glass box. Paper is collected in a different sack.
Under the changes, glass, paper and cans will now be collected together while paper will continue to be collected separately. The local authority explained that the change is due to the replacement of collection vehicles, which are now at the end of their life.
A spokesperson for the council told letsrecycle.com that it has opted for two compartment vehicles manufactured by Dennis Eagle, as no three compartment vehicles were available.
“We appreciate there will be a higher processing cost to separate glass back out from cans and plastic – given it will be commingled. However, we are confident the quality of the material won’t be significantly impacted although recognise there could be an increased cost to the council as a result of the additional processing required,” they outlined. Sorting will continue at the kerbside by operatives, the council added.
📢♻️ From 1 April residents in the Richmondshire area will not need to separate glass from cans & plastics for kerbside recycling. Paper & card should still be put in blue or white bags. Textiles will no longer be collected.
Details at 👇https://t.co/5VFRwZyhdr#RichmondshireDC pic.twitter.com/0fv4K6eSRW— RichmondshireDC (@RichmondshireDC) March 20, 2023
Textiles
Another change being introduced from next month is stopping the collection of textiles. The council spokesperson reasoned that the service was not well used by its residents, with less than six tonnes collected in the past year.
“We have advised any residents who currently use the service to place their textiles in the various textile banks at our recycling centre. While we are losing the income from the sale of the textiles, we still receive recycling credits for any tonnage from the banks which forms part of our recycling rates,” they explained.
The council carries out its collection in-house, with its recycling deposited at Yorwaste Transfer Site in Brompton on Swale. This is then transported to third party recycling processors.
The changes to recycling collection come alongside changes to governance across North Yorkshire, which will see all of its district and borough councils become one unitary authority with North Yorkshire county council, forming North Yorkshire council, as of next month.
In 2020/21 recycling data published by Defra today (24 March), the council recorded a 40.5% recycling rate.
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