Over the coming 12 months, householders are to be issued with blue plastic boxes for used bottles, jars, cans and textiles. Separate reusable bags will be provided for paper and card. The announcement is seen as showing a big step forward from a region that has not traditionally been overly supportive of recycling.
The scheme aims to serve all 75,000 householders in the borough by 2004. Councillor Steve Nelson, cabinet member for the environment, said: “We don’t want people to just turf out their rubbish – we want them to realise the importance of recycling and just how easy it is to be green. We welcome everyone in the borough to pitch in to support the scheme.”
Boxes will be emptied fortnightly by Hartlepool-based contractor SWS Ltd. Council estimates predict that 10,000 tonnes of waste will be reprocessed by Christmas, a figure which would place the area's recycling rate at just over 8%. Targets for projected growth stand at 10% for 2003-04, rising to 18% by 2005-06.
Contracts for reprocessing the borough's waste were confirmed as follows: steel will go to Corus, aluminium to Alcan, glass to Berryman's, and paper and card to the Shotton mill.
The council will fund the 'B;lue Box' scheme on a per tonne basis, and expects to pay 350,000 in its inaugural year. It comes as a result of an allocation of almost 600,000 under the 140 million fund. The Stockton money will also go towards provision of a waste education project for local residents.
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