Date issued: 26 September 2018
More household rubbish can now be recycled in Colchester as the first phase of plastic recycling facilities are being introduced for residents living in flats, during National Recycling Week.
The facilities are being introduced following Cabinet’s decision in June to extend the collection of plastic recycling to flats and provide those living in flats with the same plastic recycling service as other residents.
To date, most residents of flats have been able to recycle paper, cans and glass using large communal bins or designated kerbside collection points.
Once the communal plastic recycling bins are in place, residents are being asked to simply wash and squash their recyclable plastics and place them in the bin, which will be collected weekly.
Colchester Borough Council have been and are continuing to work with private management companies to implement plastic recycling facilities in their properties. In this first phase of implementation, 6,866 residents, which is 63% of flat residents in the borough, will benefit from these facilities and be able to recycle their plastics at home.
Increasing plastic recycling facilities will make a key contribution to further reduce the amount of rubbish the Borough sends to landfill. The latest figures show that from April to June 2018, the Borough recycled an average of 58% of all its rubbish.
In the next phase, the Council will continue to work with other private management companies to try and implement plastic recycling facilities in as many of the outstanding flat developments as possible.
This latest recycling development supports the Council’s Better Colchester campaign which aims to make Colchester a better place to live, work and visit.
Cllr Martin Goss, Portfolio Holder for Waste, Environment and Transportation, said: “The latest figures for recycling rates across the borough show that recycling is continuing to rise and it’s clear how important recycling services are to local residents. I’m therefore delighted that during National Recycling Week we’ve been able to provide plastic recycling facilities to almost two thirds of flat residents in this first phase.
“In recognition of Recycling Week, I would also like to thank residents for their ongoing commitment and efforts to recycle as much as they can.”
Information about what plastics can and cannot be recycled in the borough is available at www.colchester.gov.uk/recycling
Page last reviewed: 26 September 2018