My Council is Intransigent on Plastic Recycling

fender

My Council is Intransigent on Plastic Recycling.
They do not kerbside recycle it and are dragging their feet on increasing facilities to recycle it despite pledges to increase recycling.

Any ideas on how I can get them to raise their game on this?

Thanks

Details below.

Thank you for your email. I appreciate your comments about plastic recycling in Newbury but at the moment we do not have the resources to implement further recycling facilities at Tescos, when banks are available less than 0.5 miles away.

Plastic makes up less than 7% of your bin waste and is extremely expensive to recycle both in terms of resources and to the environment.

Regards
Lisa


Dear Lisa,

In asking if the Council could add a plastics recycling bin
at Tesco's at the retail park until plastic recycling is
introduced at the kerbside, I find your reply
unsatisfactory.

I know you said that council has six plastic bins at the
refuse site at Pinchington Lane and it would be
"unnecessary to place another plastic bank at Tesco's".
What then do we do when the refuse site is closed? Or when
the recycling facilities are overflowing with the volume of
materials?

Tesco is also open 24 hours a day with more space and
people can shop there as well as recycling with the
possible benefit of fewer and more valid car journeys than
just using the refuse site. Has the council considered
this?

Your reply also told me that the plastic recycling bank at
Waitrose car park in Thatcham is well used by local people.
This may be the case but the council however seems to have
missed the point entirely in the face of its stated
(recycling) aims.

This last week, two councillors signed the Nottingham
Declaration on Climate Change, committing their support to
national and international efforts to address the issue.
Part of this stipulates that signatories will "encourage
communities to reduce their own impacts on climate change."
Surely this includes more recycling?

If our council is sincere about its aim of increasing
recycling rates, why does it not make recycling easier for
us by expanding facilities across the area rather than
telling us the current facilities are adequate when they
are not?

It just seems to me that if the council were to use a bit
more imagination and common sense, we can significantly
boost our recycling here in West Berkshire. It's high time
for a rethink.

Sincerely,

JJ

Thank you for your email regarding plastic recycling.

> We currently are unable to add plastic materials to our
> kerbside scheme due to the collection process. As you are
> aware we are undergoing a tendering process for a new
> contract for recycling at the kerbside and hope to
> include plastics and cardboard.

> We have a number of plastic banks around the district and
> these are placed in areas of dense housing. In Newbury,
> Pinchington Lane recycling centre has 6 plastic banks and
> it would be unnecessary to place another plastic bank at
> Tescos. The plastic bank at Thatcham is extremely well
> used by the local residents.

Regards
Lisa

ManAtHome

fender wrote:

> We currently are unable to add plastic materials to our
> kerbside scheme due to the collection process. As you are
> aware we are undergoing a tendering process for a new
> contract for recycling at the kerbside and hope to
> include plastics and cardboard.

Blimey, we've had wheelie bins for plastics and cardboard (as well as paper, glass, cans etc) up in t'frozen North for years now.

Have you tried kicking Councillors, MPs, MEPs, local papers etc?

earthmother

Plastics only account for 7% of waste?!

The only way they'll get 7% is by going on weight - not realistic when any normal householder will look at it in terms of mass (we fill a black bag every 7-10 days, and we're careful with our plastics consumption).

But is does explain why they're in no rush to collect it/provide extra facilities - the recycling figures are calculated by weight, so it's not affecting their position in the tables too much :rolleyes:

fender

How can I get them to change their minds? Yes, have written letters to local paper, websites.

Debt_Free_Chick

fender wrote:

How can I get them to change their minds? Yes, have written letters to local paper, websites.

It looks like they're on the case ...

As you are aware we are undergoing a tendering process for a new contract for recycling at the kerbside and hope to include plastics and cardboard.

They have to go through the tender process to select a contractor - as it's public money, they have to demonstrate that they've looked at the different options available and chosen one which meets their requirements.

Unfortunately, Councils can't just do things "at the drop of a hat" - there's a painful process they need to go through.

xlt_hunter

Fender - has the Newbury Weekly News picked up this.( I used to live in Turnpike)

Its the same here in Lincolnshire (W.Lindsey) the local council does plastic 1-2, tesco accepts items with number 4 on it which happens to be plastic bags, but they will not commite to start recycling on 3,4,5 and 6 which everything else is made. The excuse I got is that they won't make "much" profit in the process of recycling of items 3 to 6. Geez, thats what we pay council tax for, not to make blinkin profit!

deanos

Whats with this 4,5,6 thing ?

We can put all plastics , glass and cardboard /paper and metal in our green lid wheelie bin and the council sorts it out there end

martinpike

At least your council have been honest and direct with you. I'm surprised they didn't drown you in weasel words and technical jargon.

fender

I think they have. Anyway, what about my question?

ariba10

Our local Council collects plastic for recycling but you need to be a Phiadelphia Lawyer to know what you can and canot put in the Plastics bag.

SaverSarah_2

Good letter fender! Keep plugging away, the result will come if they get enough pressure from the public (can you encourage any friends or colleagues to also pester them?).

We don't have plastic and card collection where we live, but five minutes down the road (a different local authority) they have everything collected. Our LA told us they would be starting a collection for card and plastic in October... no sign. I keep pestering them, and in the meantime take ours to the supermarket when I pop in.

Good luck!