Five underground recycling banks supplied by Kidderminster-based manufacturer Egbert H Taylor were introduced to the Castle Vale housing estate in February 2004. The banks were deployed as part of a larger environmental programme developed by the Castle Vale Housing Action Trust and the Castle Vale Community Environmental Trust.
 Underground recycling banks deployed in the Castle Vale housing estate proved popular with residents |
Small posting units are the only visible part of the underground bins, with the main container located directly underneath. Space is allowed at each unit for parking and to allow collection vehicles in.
Removal and relocation of the container is made straightforward with the use of a safety base plate that ensures that the underground excavation is never exposed.
Birmingham city council has treated Castle Vale as a flagship project to demonstrate the success of the recycling systems. As a result, 11 other councils in the area have ordered the underground banks.
Popular
Roisin Hanks, projects manager for CVCET, said: “The underground banks have been a great success overall and have become popular with residents not only for depositing glass and cans in a safe and convenient way, but are also less of an eyesore than the 'igloo' type recycling banks.
“Results have shown that Castle Vale residents have used the banks more frequently, which in turn has produced positive results and helped us to exceed our own recycling targets,” she added.
Castle Vale, Birmingham's largest post-war estate, encompasses 4,000 homes over an area of 1.5 square miles. Studies have shown that the predominant waste produced by the estate is glass and cans.
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