| Separate bottle collection expands kerbside scheme The addition of a separate plastic bottle collection to Vale Royal Borough Council kerbside recycling scheme is reported to have increased collection volumes of other dry recyclables, and removed the need for handling and baling. Provisional figures indicate collection levels of 11kg/hh/year.
Details The addition of a separate plastic bottle collection to Vale Royal Borough Council kerbside recycling scheme is reported to have increased collection volumes of other dry recyclables, and removed the need for handling and baling. Provisional figures indicate collection levels of 11kg/hh/year. Following a successful trial of the collection of plastic bottles to 2,000 households in Summer 2005, 42,000 properties (80% of the borough) are now offered the service. It was introduced as a direct response to public demand and with the aim of increasing the volume of space in the residual bin following the introduction of alternate weekly collections in 2004, and to increase participation in all recycling schemes. It is hoped that the remaining households will be included at a later stage. Plastic bottles are collected from the kerbside on a fortnightly basis, mirroring the existing dry recyclable and green waste alternate weekly collection with residual waste. Glass, textiles and cans are collected in a 55 litre green box, and a bag is provided for papers. These are collected by a fleet of seven 7.5 tonne stillage vehicles and sorted at kerbside removing the requirement for a MRF. Material is taken to the council bulking facility at Northwich for baling and sale. A second 55 litre red box has been provided to residents in which to put plastic bottles for collection. During the trial, a box was given to 1,000 households and a 240 litre wheeled bin to the remaining 1,000 households. A survey of residents and scheme in both trial areas indicated that the box was preferable to a bin. The box allows the contents to be are clearly visible reducing contamination issues, and the box volume is more appropriate to the capacity requirements between collections. In the first 4 months of the new scheme an average of 40 tonnes of plastic bottles a month has been collected. This works out at an annualised rate of 480 tonnes per annum, with a collection level of 11.43kg/hh/an. Material in the red boxes that is not required is removed by collection crew and put back in the box. A sticker is then put on the box containing the rejected material, reiterating which material is accepted through the scheme. The plastic bottles are collected by a 12.5 tonne RCV with a compactor and delivered to JFC Delleve in Bold, near St. Helens, Merseyside. The presence of a local reprocessor allows direct delivery of the collected bottles, and removes the need for handling and baling. However the ongoing availability of the local reprocessor and increasing levels of bottles collected may both inhibit the effectiveness of this approach in the longer term. The efforts of the collection crew mean that loads accepted by the reprocessor have minimal contamination present so maximum value is achieved. At the reprocessor the bottles are separated into polymer type. JFC Delleve produce pellet and supply to a number of companies for use in product manufacture. Early survey results indicate that the plastics recycling scheme is being used by over 70% of those who are offered the service, and that the scheme has higher participation rates than the recycling schemes for other material. Despite this since the introduction of the plastic bottle scheme increased collection tonnages for other materials have been reported, especially for paper and glass. During the trial period, this was estimated to be an increase of around 14%. Alison Hunter, Waste Policy Manager at VRBC says “the scheme has gone down really well, the residents love it! We have found that it is not hard to get people to recycle, but it is hard to get people to recycle all accepted plastic bottles. Providing residents with the right container that works not only for them, but also for the collection crew, as well as keeping them informed through leafleting, doorstepping and sustained awareness campaigns, will really help to maximise performance”. A full evaluation of the kerbside plastic scheme is being carried out, the results of which are expected in early 2007. VRBC also run 4 household waste sites with facilities for plastic bottle collection. These sites are currently serviced by Recresco. Further information www.valeroyal.gov.uk |