Thursday 10 July 2014
The introduction of kerbside collections for every household in Guernsey has seen a big upturn in recycling and a similar reduction in the amount of waste going to landfill at Mont Cuet.
The collection service was launched in mid-March, with the now familiar clear bags for paper and cardboard, and blue bags for tins and cans, plastics, and milk and juice cartons. In the three months to the end of May, the amount of these materials collected was up by more than 10% compared to the same period last year.
If this increase is maintained, around 500 additional tonnes of household materials could be recycled in the first full year of kerbside collections. This would represent the biggest annual increase in dry recyclables since the introduction of facilities for cardboard in 2006.
Glass, which is not included in the initial kerbside scheme, is still being collected through bring banks. The amount being recycled is in line with the pre-March levels.
Public Services still plans to trial glass collections in some areas of St Peter Port later this year.
As expected the bring bank sites have seen a significant fall in materials that are now collected through kerbside, with most down by more than half since the start of the scheme.
Household waste going into Mont Cuet in March, April and May also fell by nearly 10% compared to the same three months last year.
Public Services Minister Deputy Paul Luxon said the initial results were very encouraging:
'The general increase we have seen in the materials collected, coupled with the fact we have not seen a reduction in glass recycling, is a really encouraging start for kerbside. It suggests that a lot of islanders who were not recycling before have started, as it is now so much easier and more convenient. That is great news,' he said.
'What is most encouraging is we have seen an immediate drop in the amount of waste going into Mont Cuet. That is more great news, because it represents a financial saving for the parishes, and for their parishioners.
'This is still early days and we will learn from the experience as we go. Where we can make improvements, and encourage even more islanders to get on board, we will do so. However we have to start somewhere, and from the feedback we have had from contractors so far the uptake has been good.'
-ENDS-
