New Recycling & Refuse Collection Service Ashford Alison Sollis Behavioural Change Officer – Mid Kent Waste Partnership

Out of sight – Out of mind?

The Problem  Increasing Population – over 29 million tonnes of domestic waste thrown away every year in UK  Lifestyle Change - more convenience foods  Increasing Affluence  Disposal

Reduce Reuse Recycle Recycling saves energy/natural resources Percentage of energy saved compared to using virgin materials:  Paper: Energy saving - 70%  Aluminium: Energy saving - 95%  Steel: Energy saving - 75%  Glass: Energy saving - 33%  Plastics: Energy saving - 80%

Why Change?  Ashford - current recycling rate 14%

New Waste Partnership  New 10 year waste partnership with Biffa Municipal, Ashford, Maidstone & Swale Borough Councils  Same systems used by top rated local authorities for recycling in the country  Will enable Ashford to reduce waste and significantly boost recycling and composting rate  Will save money (£500,000 per year)  New service April different vehicles collecting recycling  June 2013 – Bins delivered  July 2013 – New collections start

The New Service

Mixed Dry Recycling – Green Wheeled Bin  Cardboard  Paper  Tins and Cans  Aerosols  Kitchen foil & foil food trays  Glass – bottles and jars  Food & drink cartons  Plastics: bottles, yoghurt pots, tubs, meat trays, fruit punnets  All materials in bin loose –no plastic bags  240L Green Wheeled Bin Collected Fortnightly

Food Waste Recycling  All cooked and uncooked food waste  Includes meat, fish & bones  Eggs, cheese & dairy products  Tea bags & coffee grounds  Bread, cakes & pastries  Fruit & vegetables  Rice, pasta and beans  Takeaway leftovers  No plastic bags or food packaging  5L Kitchen Caddy – indoor use only Collected Weekly

Food Waste Recycling  All cooked and uncooked food waste  Includes meat, fish & bones  Eggs, cheese & dairy products  Tea bags & coffee grounds  Bread, cakes & pastries  Fruit & vegetables  Rice, pasta and beans  Takeaway leftovers  No plastic bags or food packaging  23L Food Bin Collected Weekly

Recycling food waste into compost 

Textile & small Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Collections Collected on alternate weeks

Used Household Batteries  Place on top of your grey refuse bin in a clear plastic bag on collection day

Non recyclable rubbish – Grey Wheeled Bin  Plastic film/wrapping  Plastic bags/crisp packets  Polystyrene  Nappies/sanitary items  Cat Litter  180L Grey Wheeled Bin Collected Fortnightly

Garden Recycling – Brown Wheeled Bin (Optional)  Grass cuttings  Flowers and plants  Hedge trimmings  Leaves  Weeds  240L Brown Wheeled Bin Collected Fortnightly - £30 per year

No space to store wheeled Bins?  Weekly food waste collections  Fortnightly Recycling  Fortnightly black sacks for refuse  Alternating weekly –Textiles & WEEE

Communal Collections

Working together...we can make a difference