The service will be provided by the Somerset Waste Partnership, which includes waste collection authorities Mendip, Sedgemoor, South Somerset and West Somerset District Councils and Taunton Deane Borough Council and disposal authority Somerset County Council.
The scheme forms part of the Partnership's five-year joint improvement plan, which is designed to help them exceed the county's statutory target of 28% household recycling by March 2004. Of the 299,923 tonnes of domestic waste produced in 2001/02, 15.6% was recycled.
Praise
The announcement comes in the wake of strong praise from the Audit Commission for the Partnership's improvement plan, which covers all aspects of waste from kerbside schemes to landfills, refuse collection and abandoned vehicles. The Commission described the waste services provided by the authorities as “fair” but said the improvement plan had “excellent prospects”.
A grant of 693,705 has been awarded by DEFRA to the kerbside project. About 500,000 of this will go towards the running costs. The balance of the funding has gone towards the purchase of equipment – such as the 150,000 specially designed, lightweight crates from Straight Recycling.
The partnership says that because of the joint approach, it is able to enjoy “extremely keen operational costs” for its services and service providers are offering discounts for collections in more than one district or borough area.
The service will be operated by Avon Friends of The Earth in Mendip, South Somerset and Taunton Deane and by Cleanaway in West Somerset and Sedgemoor. Cleanaway already operates some collections in these two districts and is currently in discussion with Sedgemoor for expansion of its work there.
“Quality”
Roger Wilkin, waste services manager for South Somerset said: “By making recycling as accessible as possible to our residents and providing a quality, consistent service, we are aiming to exceed our recycling target of 28% by 2004. The launch of the schemes in October represents a new era in waste management in the County.”
The total coverage of the kerbside schemes in each of the five collection areas is: 100% in South and West Somerset, 85% in Mendip and Taunton Deane and 80% in Sedgemoor.
The full list of materials to be collected has not yet been finalized, but the scheme will include paper, metal and textiles.
DEFRA has also awarded the Partnership 368,125 for its furniture RRREuse (Repair, Renovate and Reuse) scheme, which is aimed at diverting unwanted bulky items away from landfill and into repair programmes.
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