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Recycling scheme proves big success

Release Date: 02 August 2012

Recycling has rocketed by nearly 50 per cent since the launch of Stroud District Council's new recycling service.

The latest figures show that residents in the district have been recycling much more since the new waste and recycling scheme was launched on July 2nd, with the total amount of recycling collected jumping from 136 tonnes to almost 200 tonnes a week.

Abigail Howells, a mother from Stroud, said she and her family have enjoyed being able to recycle more waste. "I always thought we were good at recycling as a family, but I've been amazed at how much more we can now recycle since the new scheme has been introduced," she said.

"Before the new scheme we regularly put four black rubbish bags out a week and we're now down to just two. It makes me feel good that we're making a small difference to the amount of waste going to landfill."

Typically, before the new scheme was launched, 482 tonnes of rubbish was sent to landfill a week but this has now dropped to 442.5 tonnes.

Councillor Simon Pickering, executive member for environment at the council, said: "This is excellent news. The reduction in black bag rubbish equates to five full bin lorries of waste which don't have to go to landfill every week. Additionally, when you consider that the cardboard and plastic packaging which can now be recycled are comparatively light in relation to the previously collected materials, the increase in recycling is huge. Residents have really taken the new scheme to heart and this is just at the very start of the scheme."

Public support has been overwhelmingly positive. 36,000 wheelie-bins were delivered to homes across the district as part of the new scheme and 97% of households which received them are happy to use them, whilst a small minority (3%) of residents contacted the council to say they did not want one.

Some residents have gone to great lengths to use their wheelie-bins in more challenging conditions. Tony Pryce, from Upton St Leonards, contacted the council about his bin because he had a 100m long gravel driveway that made it difficult to pull the bin along, however he decided to customise the bin himself - effectively making it an 'off road wheelie-bin', allowing him to roll it down his drive easily.

Councillor Pickering added: "I'd like to thank the public for their support for the new scheme and for their dedication to recycling. Their passion is clearly visible and this is even more evident when you look at how residents stored up their recycling just before their first collections under the new scheme - the first collections in July actually showed a 77% increase in recycling!"

Further information is available at www.stroud.gov.uk/recycling

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