Southwark launches mobile recycling centre

The local authority is using a specially designed vehicle, which will travel to housing estates around the borough on a weekly basis. Residents are able to deposit items such as textiles, small WEEE, batteries, cardboard and wood for recycling.

Funding

Southwark council developed the service alongside waste contractor Veolia Environmental Services, after receiving 50,000 funding from the London Waste and Recycling Board (LWaRB).

Councillor Barrie Hargrove, Southwarks cabinet member for transport, environment and recycling, said: This is another important step in delivering recycling opportunities for our council tenants and leaseholders. Working with our partners Veolia Environmental Services to make it easier and simpler to recycle is the key to getting the commitment of residents across the borough to recycle as much of their household as possible.

The vehicle, a modified flat-bed lorry with a cabin housing recycling bins, made its first outing on Saturday (March 3). The mobile centre visited the Kingswood Estate in Dulwich and the Consort Estate in Peckham, where almost a third of a tonne of material was collected. The service will be available every Saturday, and will visit two estates in the area per outing.

The mobile recycling centre will also call at the Brandon, Comber, Rockingham, Tabard Gardens, Dickens and Aylesbury estates.

Innovative

James Cleverly, chair of LWaRB, said: This is an innovative project that allows residents living in flats to recycle more materials, without having too far to travel to do so. Items such as textiles, electrical goods and batteries will all be accepted at the mobile recycling centre, potentially saving perfectly recyclable materials from ending up in costly landfill sites.

Simon Bussell, managing director for Veolia Environmental Services in Southwark said: This service is an important addition to those we offer residents in Southwark and Im delighted to see it get off to a good start. I hope that residents will continue to make use of the mobile recycling centre and if the scheme is successful, we may look to expand the number of estates we cover.