The change in policy is designed to increase recycling rates and to reduce the amount of black bag waste collected. Initial results are promising and the Council has collected almost 20% less black bag waste in the area than before the new policy started. At the same time, the percentage of material collected for recycling has gone up – an increase of 5%.
Black bag waste is the most expensive to dispose of at around £100 per tonne and our most recent figures show a welcome reduction in the amount of refuse collected in this area.
Research has also shown that 70% of black bag waste can be recycled. Most recyclable materials such as food, textiles, glass, cans, paper, plastics and cardboard being can be collected at the kerbside as part of the Council’s weekly collection service which has been in place for a number of years.
There are plans to roll out the ‘no side waste’ policy to other parts of Blaenau Gwent in the next few months. As a result, the Council expects to see further falls in the amount of black bag waste collected and increases in the amount of material collected for recycling.
Residents who want to order more food caddies or recycling receptacle should use the My Services section on the Council website.
Garth Collier, Executive Member for Environment commented:
‘We are committed to raising recycling rates here in Blaenau Gwent in order to meet Welsh Government targets and the new No Side Waste Policy is just one part of this. The early results of the first phase of our No side Waste enforcement are encouraging and whilst we have only seen a small increase in our recycling rate, I expect recycling to increase further as the scheme is rolled out. I want to thank our residents for their co-operation in helping us deliver improved recycling rates and reducing the amount of waste we send off to landfill.’