The residents have been tremendous and deserve a great deal of thanks for their support
Cllr Stan Highfield, Stafford borough council
Since the council introduced 55,000 new blue wheeled bins for recyclables and cardboard collections last month, recycling rates of 29% in 2006/07 have already almost doubled.
Now, the council believes it is on target to smash its 40% recycling target for 2007/08 and could beat North Kesteven's current record for recycling 55.5% of waste.
Stafford's cabinet member for environment and health, councillor Stan Highfield, said: “These figures speak for themselves – the residents have been tremendous and deserve a great deal of thanks for their support.”
He added: “We want to be up with the best recycling authorities in the country and this service can help us achieve that.”
Service
Under Stafford's new recycling service, residents have received wheeled bins for all plastic food packaging, bottles, glass and tin. There is also an internal compartment for newspapers and magazines.
Cardboard collections are meanwhile being provided as part of the existing green waste collections, in brown wheeled bins.
All waste is collected on the same day of the week, with recyclables collected one week, and residual waste the next.
The changes form part of a £17 million six-year collection contract with Biffa, including a new fleet of specially adapted vehicles.
Zak Shell, Biffa regional municipal manager, said: “It was a great success and augurs well for the rest of the borough. It follows trials in the Eccleshall and Parkside areas of the borough, which have seen recycling rates reach nearly 60 per cent compared to less than 30 per cent for the rest of the area.”
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