Collections in Bassett, Swaythling and parts of Shirley and Coxford are now recycling 35% of all household waste from those areas every month. Since the start of the scheme in October 2003, 270 tonnes of paper, card, plastic bottles and cans have been collected for recycling.
Congratulating residents, Councillor Jill Baston, cabinet member for environment and transport, said: “The successful introduction of the new kerbside recycling scheme has been possible because of the enthusiastic co-operation of local residents. We would like to extend a thank you to the keen recyclers who have enabled the first phase to be such a resounding success.”
While the latest recycling results confirmed Hampshire as the second best county in England last month with a 25% recycling rate, Southampton has been one of the unitary authorities pulling down the county's partnership, Project Integra. The city came in 226th position in the English recycling league table with a rate of just over 11%.
The council's new recycling service was funded by a 1 million grant from DEFRA's 140 million Waste Minimisation and Recycling Fund last year. Residents in houses, low-rise flats and student accommodation are being supplied with a second wheeled bin or a clear bag for the collections. The council is planning to phase in the service to five other areas in the city by the end of 2004.
Residents can also take part in weekly green waste collections if they pay 15 a year for special sacks to collect garden material.
The new recycling service has caused some controversy over the past few months because of a switch to fortnightly residual waste collections. Opposition has been led by the local paper the Daily Echo, which organised a petition against the scheme that accrued 3,600 signatures.
However, with a 63,000 awareness campaign running alongside the new service, the council believes the results from the first phase of the service indicate that public opinion is now becoming more favourable towards the recycling scheme.
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