[C]OPELAND’S residents will soon benefit from a new doorstep recycling service.
Copeland Borough Council is preparing to launch its new kerbside service that will see crews collect five items from households; plastic, paper, glass, tins/cans and cardboard.
The service will start in April 2018, and residents can get a sneak preview of the type of new dedicated recycling vehicles the Council is going to use at two roadshows in Whitehaven and Egremont next month.
Copeland Mayor, Mike Starkie, said: “This is an exciting development that we have been working towards for some time – recycling makes financial sense for us all and we have a responsibility to use resources efficiently and sustain the environment.
“We accept that we currently have low recycling rates and residents are keen to do more. People have been asking us to collect card and plastic and we’ve had a lot of positive feedback since announcing the change.”
The two information events will tell residents more about the new service. Copeland’s staff will be there to answer questions and demonstrate the new collection boxes and bags that will be issued to residents.
The events are at:
- Whitehaven Market on Thursday, December 7 (9am to 3pm)
- Egremont Market on Friday, December 8 (9am to midday)
The council currently covers 95 per cent of the 33,600 homes in Copeland with its existing recycling collections, and it aims to increase that as far as is practicable with the new four-vehicle service.
Crews will collect most plastics used in household items and not just bottles – tubs, pots and trays are included too – and the council will issue specific details of what materials can and can’t be collected nearer the time. A new waste crew (one driver and two operatives) will be recruited next year ahead of the roll-out.
Mr Starkie added: “We continue to be challenged financially, therefore recycling collections must be efficient and where possible strive for commercial success.
“Therefore the onus will be on our residents to do some sorting of materials at home – so the system will use multiple boxes or bags, with an option to buy a trolley system. Residents will have as much container capacity for their recycling as they do for refuse, and our aim is for residents to use their refuse bin only for the items that can’t be recycled. We’re looking forward increasing our recycling rates considerably”
More details will be available about the new scheme over the coming months.
