Residents urged to gear up for waste changes

Leaflets about the upcoming changes to waste collection services throughout Bury will start dropping through people’s letter boxes from Monday 25 August.

The aim is to give residents early notice of the new service before it starts from the second week in October. The changes are designed to boost Bury’s recycling rate, reduce carbon emissions and save money to help protect other public services.

The leaflets outline the changes, explain the reasons for them, and give advice on how residents can gear up for the changes ahead.

Under the new system, collections of the grey bin (for non-recyclable waste) will be every three weeks rather than two, and collections of the green and blue recycling bins will be every three weeks rather than four. Brown bins, for food and garden waste, will continue to be collected every two weeks.

A full information pack, including a new collection calendar and information leaflets to help residents recycle all the right items in the right bin, will be delivered to all households in the run-up to October.

Councillor Susan Southworth, deputy cabinet member for the environment, said: “We’re now at the stage where we’re gearing up for the changes ahead and we need our residents’ support in doing the same. We’re currently recycling just over 47% but it’s possible for most households to recycle around 75%. Other areas in Greater Manchester are already recycling more than 60%.

“We know we can recycle more and stop wasting money on needless treatment and disposal costs, which comes to £10.2 million a year – that’s £28,000 a day. A 10% increase in recycling will save us going on for £1 million per year, vital when we need to protect other crucial services that Bury people
need and value. 

“Between now and the start of October we need residents to get ready for the changes that are coming and think about what they will need for the new service to work for them. Residents are urged to read the information leaflet they are about to receive and take the appropriate action or ask for advice if they need it. We provide recycling bins, kitchen caddies and compostable liners free of charge, so there’s no cost attached to getting ready in time.” 

Advice on how to get ready for the changes:

 
• Residents who don’t already recycle are asked to request recycling bins, get used to using them, and start making recycling a part of daily life.  
  
• Residents who don’t yet recycle food waste are advised to get into the habit of putting it into the brown bin instead of the grey bin.

 
• Residents who don’t have a kitchen caddy or compostable food liners can request them to help make food waste recycling cleaner and easier. 


• Residents who have a small brown bin are encouraged to request a larger bin if they think they need the extra space.


• Residents who have downsized their grey bin and think they will need more space can request to upsize their bin to a 240-litre bin free of charge.


• Residents with a lot of recycling for the blue and green recycling bins can request extra bins if extra space is needed – but residents should remember that these bins will be emptied more often in future, so residents will have more space to recycle. 

The council has compiled a comprehensive list of Frequently Asked Questions about the new collection service at www.bury.gov.uk/collectionchanges-faqs. Bins can be requested at www.bury.gov.uk/requestabin or by phoning 0161 253 5353. 

ENDS

Press release issued: 19 August 2014.

For further information please contact Peter Doherty in the council press office on 0161 253 6096.
Alternatively please email communications@bury.gov.uk

Notes to editors:

-  Currently, more than half of Bury’s household waste is being put in grey bins which are for waste that can’t be recycled.

-  It costs Bury £10.2 million a year – some £28,000 a day – to treat and dispose of waste from grey bins.

-  Much of the waste in grey bins could be recycled instead. 

-  Bury’s recycling rate is currently 47.7%, up from 29% in 2011. 

-  Other areas in Greater Manchester (Stockport and Trafford) are already recycling more than 60%.