war on waste
Ready to get tough on recycling abusers. NKDC environment manager Nina Camm and head of environment and public protection Mark Taylor. Photo: 0452SB-9
HOUSEHOLDERS who fail to recycle their waste properly could be in for a shock under a tough new regime adopted by North Kesteven District Council.
Under the new hard line stance agreed by the council’s executive board, as of next week recycling bins found to have ‘significant’ contamination by non-recyclable waste will be rejected and will not be collected until the next scheduled pick-up two weeks later.
Head of Environment and Public Protection Mark Taylor said: “We are not going to be picky about the odd yogurt pot. We are getting at the gross contamination where people are putting black bags of general waste in with their recycling or putting in food waste and nappies, needles and sharps - it is just disgusting.”
Over the summer the council ran a publicity campaign reminding people to take care of what they put in the green-lidded recycling bins. Officers believe residents have become complacent about what can and cannot go into the bins, despite information being regularly issued, leading to the authority’s staff being faced with householders dumping everything from soiled nappies to even a dead pheasant.
Since signing up with a new recycling contractor in April, the council has actually had its first load of material rejected due to high contamination, costing £110 per tonne to go to landfill instead.
The council says it does not want to have to take a hard line but hopes the shock of not having their bin collected will ensure fewer people abuse the system when the majority manage to do it right.
Mr Taylor said residents faced with a rejected bin should remove the contamination into the general waste bin to free up space or take it to the local tip. He added: “They do not need to have the stuff hanging around if they don’t want to but they will not do it twice.”
Anyone needing recycling advice can call the council on 01529 414155 or go to www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/contamination.
l What do you think? Is the council right to get tough on recycling? Email andy.hubbert@jpress.co.uk or comment on our Facebook page or Twitter.
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Friday 24 May 2013
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