Blue Recyclable Bags for Colchester
Colchester County Council is going green by voting blue. The decision has been made to dispose of recyclable materials in the region using transparent blue plastic bags.
The County Council approved a second and final reading of the ‘Solid Waste Bylaw’ that will introduce blue bags as a mandatory part of recycling using the council’s services.
This is welcome news to Colchester locals who, in the past, have been keen to recycle but found the two types of transparent bag confusing.
Fact File
- Colchester County Council collects refuse and recyclable material from 16,561 discrete homes and 371 flat blocks and tenements
- The most common issue is recycling bags containing bathroom, medical and kitchen waste products
- In 2017, the Materials Recovery Facility for the county processed 9,000 tonnes of recycling waste, of which 14% was processed as actual waste materials (approximately 1,300 tonnes)
The bylaw has been official as of August but the grace period where transparent bags are accepted is until the end of October.
CAO Rob Simonds has made clear, “Although the provisions technically come into effect this Thursday, it is the county’s intention to support a transitional period so that residents will have an opportunity to adjust their disposal practices”.
Overall, the move is a positive one for the environmentally conscious, as the change is designed to avoid household rubbish from entering the recycling stream.
How the system will work after October
As of November, clear bags containing recyclable materials will be rejected by the refuse collectors. Once the bylaw comes into full effect residents are permitted the following allowances for their waste:
- 1 privacy (black) bag
- Plus up to 5 clear waste bags, every other week
- 12 blue bags for recyclables
- And a green cart for organic waste, every other week
2,100 stops per rubbish collection day
That’s right, with 4 trucks in the fleet, the average refuse truck stops over 500 times on a collection day. That means any small savings in time will reduce their time on the roads and therefore the environmental impact of collection. The new blue bags are key to this small but practical change.
Simply sort your recyclables into paper and textiles, film and rigid plastics, and glass, steel and aluminium and you’ll be doing your bit to make our county shine.
At CSH Environmental, we welcome news that improves the lives and recycling capabilities of local residents in Colchester. That’s why we dedicate ourselves every day to recycling over 99% of material waste that arrives at our state-of-the-art recycling centre.
Our zero to landfill target is what makes us the finest waste management service in the area, able to offer a range of services to customers of any size in Braintree, Colchester, Southend-on-Sea, Ipswich, Felixstowe, Bishop Stortford and all surrounding towns.
Choose from skip hire, waste disposal, timber recycling, trade waste services, building waste removal, WEEE recycling and much more. To learn more about how we can make you, your home or business green, contact a member of our team today.
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