In the news: Councillors agree on improvements to the way we collect waste and recycling
Basildon Council's Cabinet met on Tuesday 6 December and agreed improvements to the way we collect waste and recycling that will make the service more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
There will be the introduction of a wheeled bin service for black sack waste, plus two reusable sacks - one for paper and card and one for plastics and can materials.
Cabinet members considered the results of a public consultation held earlier this year that received 5,655 responses, as well as a six-week recycling trial involving around 320 properties in Noak Bridge, alongside the council's environmental and sustainability goals and legislative requirements.
The consultation showed 68% of residents either supported or strongly supported the introduction of wheeled bins for non-recyclable waste. The majority of residents who took part in the Noak Bridge trial also supported the introduction of a separated recycling service in the future, with the trial leading to improvements in both recycling participation and material quality.
The improvements will help the council to meet the Environment Act, reduce the amount of waste going to landfill by around 20%, and increase the amount we recycle to help us reach our target of a 65% recycling rate by 2035.
Cabinet Member for Environment and Carbon Reduction, Councillor Kevin Blake, said: "Our residents tell us that they want to do the right thing with their waste - but still over two thirds of what we send to landfill is recyclable. This has to stop.
"We want to make it easy to do the right thing. Residents also ask us to reduce the amount of single use plastic produced - our residents use over 10 million single use plastic sacks each year for disposal of waste and recycling, and we have to make sure we are doing all we can to make it more efficient, more environmentally friendly, and more cost effective for all.
"The way we dispose of our waste can have a big impact on all of us and on our future. Split bags that spread litter across our neighbourhoods could no longer be an issue, with the amount we send to landfill decreasing significantly and the amount we send for recycling increasing significantly."
It is expected that these will be implemented in Autumn 2023.
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Published Thursday 8 December 2022.