Spelthorne sees “impressive” results with green waste scheme

Spelthorne achieved a recycling rate of 14% over the 2003/04 period and the rate heading into 2005 was not expected to be much higher. But following the roll out of the borough's green waste scheme at the end of February the council believes its recycling rate is now much higher.

”The scheme only came in at the end of the Februaury and already we have seen impressive results with Spelthorne recycling 22% of its waste. “
– Councillor Gerald Forsbery, Spelthorne
Councillor Gerald Forsbery, portfolio holder for environment and planning at Spelthorne borough council, said: “The scheme only came in at the end of February, but already we have seen impressive results. We estimate that Spelthorne is currently recycling 22% of its waste.”

The green waste collected by Spelthorne will be taken to the in-vessel recycling centre at High View Farm, Harfield, after the council signed a contract with West London Composting to treat the material. The London boroughs of Hillingdon and Brent also send their green waste to West London Composting.

Multi-material

Spelthorne intends to keep up the momentum in increasing that rate when it unveils its new multi-material kerbside collection next Monday.

The council has been trialling the scheme – which collects plastic, cans, cardboard, paper and textiles – for the last 12 months. Around 10,000 of the boroughs 38,000 households were on the trial scheme, using a blue box as well as a red and white sack to separate the materials.

The boxes and sacks have now been delivered to the remaining houses in Spelthorne and Cllr Forsbery said that last week the council sent out leaflets instructing residents on how to use the new scheme.

The new multi-material collection will be provided by Abitibi Recycling, who will also collect the borough's waste, but the green waste collection is being organised by the council in-house.

Spelthorne has brought in these new schemes in order to achieve tough recycling rates set by the council itself. Spelthorne intends to reach a recycling rate of 30% in 2006/07 and 35% in 2007/08.

Cllr Forsbery said: “We know that we have government targets to reach, but we have already set ourselves recycling rates that supersede these. We are hopeful that with these new schemes we will reach these targets and maybe even exceed them.”