News

Plan adopted to reduce rubbish

Released on 18 October 2006

A 20 year plan to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill sites has been adopted by Surrey Heath Borough Council.

The 12 waste authorities in Surrey have spent the last 18 months working closely to draft a new Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy (JMWMS) and at the Council's Executive meeting on Tuesday, September 26, Councillors agreed to adopt the strategy.

The plan tackles every aspect of managing solid waste in Surrey and looks to reduce the amount sent to landfill through recycling and waste minimisation.

Between 2005/2006, 7,665 tonnes of material was recycled in Surrey Heath, by 2008/2009 it aims to increase this to 9,000 tonnes. New legislation means Councils which do not meet their proposed recycling targets face tough financial penalties which could affect the Council Tax paid by local residents.

To help achieve this target the Borough Council has introduced schemes such as the Green Waste Club Opens in a new window.

The Council's recycling rate for 2006/2007 currently stands at 29.6 per cent, which is an increase of almost five per cent on the previous year. This is mainly due to an increase in the amount of garden waste collected and the success of the new recycling vehicle.

The Green Waste Club was launched in September and offers a fortnightly collection service for garden waste. Around 500 residents have already signed up to it. The new recycling truck was introduced in July and is dedicated to collecting materials from large establishments such as flats, schools, nursing and residential homes, where large quantities of recyclable materials are likely to be found.

To help increase the amount of cardboard recycled in Surrey Heath, Portfolio Holder for Economy and the Environment Cllr Pat Pearce has mooted the idea of introducing a pilot doorstep cardboard collection service.

Cllr Pearce said: "I requested that the Head of Environmental Services investigates if it is feasible to introduce a cardboard collection in Lightwater. If this was to prove successful, it could be rolled out to the remainder of the Borough. If 50 per cent of Surrey Heath households were to take part in the scheme up to a further 600 tonnes of cardboard could be recycled."

The Council is also considering the options in relation to future waste collection and recycling as the current refuse contract ends in February 2009. There is currently a weekly recycling collection scheme for all domestic properties in the Borough. Items such as papers, magazines, catalogues and cans can be put out in separate bags and left with normal refuse. Recycling collections are carried out on the same day as normal collections, but they are picked up later by a different vehicle.

Portfolio Holder for Customer Care Cllr Vivienne Chapman said: "The Council is committed to encouraging residents to recycle. In addition to the dry recyclables doorstep collection, the Borough Council also manages 54 recycling bring sites which are all well used and operate at full or near to full capacity."

She added: "Verdant has also made it easier for customers wishing to sign up for the Green Waste Club to spread the cost of membership by paying in instalments. For more information about the club Opens in a new window."