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Taunton Deane pioneers plastic bottle and cardboard recycling
Taunton Deane residents in selected households enjoyed the chance to show what keen recyclers they are this week, when they became part of the pioneering SORT IT PLUS trial waste collections.
SORT IT PLUS, for the first time, collects cardboard and plastic bottles from the selected residents, along with the other main materials for recycling (glass bottles and jars, paper, food and drink cans, aluminium foil, clothes, shoes and car batteries), together with separate food waste, while testing innovative new collection vehicle designs. In Taunton Deane, the newly arrived 3-Way collection vehicle has separate compartments for food waste, cardboard and plastic bottles (existing collection vehicles continuing to be used to collect other recyclables).
Councillor Melvyn Mullins, portfolio holder for Taunton Deane Borough Council was pleased to be there on the first collection day.
“One of the things people regularly ask is when they can start recycling plastic bottles and cardboard with their normal collections. So it’s good to see Taunton Deane ahead of the game.” Cllr Mullins said. “This will answer a lot of questions about how we make collection of these materials efficient and ensure borough council-tax payers get the best value for money.”
For those involved there has been a lot of interest in the initiative and people are keen to get it right. Somerset Waste Partnership distributed information packs and an additional “green box” to all participating homes, and popular information road-shows were held last week in the areas included.
Chair of Somerset Waste Partnership Nigel Woollcombe-Adams explained what would happen next. “We will be testing the new vehicles to see how efficient they are, as well as different service options in different areas. At the end of the year we’ll analyse results and take informed decisions. This is clearly something that’s close to the heart of the people of Somerset.”
And it is certainly close to the hearts of local residents:
• “I’m very happy with it.” Said Sarah Gardener.
• “It’s a very good scheme – in fact I’d like to be able to recycle more.” Said Paul Wells .
• “I’m very much in favour of it. It will save me a lot of trips to the recycling centre.” Added Stephen Cooper.
All are residents of Showell Park, Taunton (photographs are available on request).
The SORT IT PLUS trials will run until March 2009 and involve collection of cardboard and plastic bottles in addition to existing collection services, consisting of: -
• Weekly collections of food waste;
• Continued recycling collections for paper, glass, cans, foil, clothes, shoes and car batteries;
• Fortnightly collections for refuse;
• Optional charged composting collections for garden waste.
Householders in Taunton Deane with questions about waste and recycling can contact Taunton Deane Borough Council customer service centre on 01823 356 346.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
1. The Somerset Waste Partnership provides waste and recycling services on behalf of all local authorities in Somerset: Mendip, South Somerset, Sedgemoor and West Somerset District Councils, Taunton Deane Borough Council and Somerset County Council.
2. There are also SORT IT PLUS trial rounds in Mendip and Sedgemoor.
3. All residents of Taunton Deane can currently recycle food waste, glass bottles and jars, paper, food and drink cans, aluminium foil, clothes, shoes and car batteries with their kerbside collections.
Photographs
• Taunton Deane Councillor and portfolio holder Melvyn Mullins lends a hand with the first collections. The new collection vehicle has a split chamber at the back, with the left hand side being used for cardboard and the right for plastic bottles.
Media Contact:
For enquires about the Somerset Waste Partnership, please contact:
Mark Blaker
Senior Communications Officer
01823 625714 or mark.blaker@somersetwaste.gov.uk
19 May 2008
For further details contact Mark Blaker
01823 625715
Email: mark.blaker@somersetwaste.gov.uk
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