Black bin reduction ‘a success’
West Berkshire Council says the change to three weekly black bin collections is already making a “positive difference”.
“We are already seeing important environmental benefits, with residents helping to cut black bin waste by 18 per cent since the move to three-weekly collections,” it said.
“It’s also helping reduce the financial pressures we will face from new emerging national carbon legislation. If previous disposal levels continued, we could face additional costs of up to £1.4 million per year, directly affecting local budgets and services.”
The council claims that early results from the first two full months of three-weekly collections show progress with food waste recycling increased by 25 per cent – equating to 196 tonnes of extra food waste collected for recycling.
It says recycling of plastic bottles, pots, tubs, trays and food and drink cans increased by 17 per cent – that’s an extra 61 tonnes of plastic and cans recycled.
In an unverified claim the council says reducing the amount of waste going into the black bin by 821 tonnes is equivalent to the weight of 68 double-decker buses, enough to line up across 10 football pitches end to end.
Before the change, West Berkshire was ranked 25th out of more than 300 local authority areas in England for being the highest waste generated per person, placing the district in the national top 10 per cent for waste production.
Stuart Gourley (Lib Dem, Newbury Clay Hill), executive member for environment and highways at West Berkshire Council, said: “We’re extremely thankful for the positive way residents have embraced this change. Every item kept out of the black bin, every correctly recycled material, and every food scrap placed in a caddy helps drive meaningful progress.
“Together, we’re reducing our carbon footprint and protecting public funds, it’s a win for both the environment and our community.
“We’ll continue to keep residents regularly updated through our website, social media channels, and newsletters.”
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