End for weekly black bin waste collections

New food waste collection rota introduced will see end of weekly black bin collections

WEEKLY black bin collections are to be scrapped next month as everyone in West Berkshire will be required to sort their food waste into a different bin as part of a new collection rota.

The introduction of kitchen caddies for food waste will signal the start of fortnightly black bin collections on October 31, with green bin garden waste gathered on alternate weeks.

Every home which has an outdoor green bin for garden waste will receive a new small compact waste bin, designed to be stored inside kitchens, and a supply of biodegradable bags to contain food waste ranging from bread and teabags to fish, fruit and vegetables.

The bagged food waste is then to be placed inside the relevant bin due for collection that week.

The move to kitchen caddies was announced by West Berkshire Council on Monday but has already sparked confusion with village circular emails and posts on social network site Facebook indicating uncertainty over what the change means, leading to suggestions the council had buried the switch to alternate weekly black bin collections and left residents in the dark.

Last year Audit Commission guidance to councils on removing weekly bin collections to save money sparked fears nationwide of a rise in fly-tipping, and hygiene problems with vermin and bad odours in summer.

The issue of fortnightly collections has proved thorny for the council in recent years and in 2006 political pressure prompted a declaration that there were no plans to introduce alternate weekly rubbish collections.

During a spat between the two main political parties in West Berkshire in January 2007 the leader of the council Graham Jones (Con, Lambourn) told the council's executive: “We are not in favour of alternate weekly collections,” before challenging the Liberal Democrats to state their stance on the issue.

This week Mr Jones explained the change in policy was aided by the opening of the new waste facility at Padworth which could cater for household waste enabling collections of that type of rubbish to continue weekly, and would improve the district's recycling rate.

“Because the ‘in' vessel composter can take food waste we, unlike say Reading, are maintaining a weekly collection of kitchen waste,” he said.

“Research and personal experience says this is the issue that matters most to people.”

The leader of the Liberal Democrats Jeff Brooks (Thatcham West) said if the Conservatives handled the roll-out wrong it could lead to hygiene problems and confusion.

“We are not against the policy but we are concerned over the roll-out of the new waste strategy. They need to make sure they educate people properly or there will be waste and carcasses hanging about everywhere.

“They need to be clear with people what is being collected and when.”

Mr Jones said: “We are endeavouring to explain the changes to households and I am sure the new system will take a little while to bed in. We welcome the Liberal Democrat support for this initiative and thank them for their active involvement in its implementation. I trust both Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors will help residents through any problems.”

Residents in shared accommodation and flats will not be given the caddies, but Mr Jones said they would have a small hand portable green bin so to access the collections.

A specially built section of the new waste facility in Padworth will turn the waste into compost more quickly than open air.

The compost will then be on general sale.

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