Wednesday 15th September 2010
New figures have shown that an alternate weekly waste collection service, introduced in Dumbarton, Renton, Vale of Leven and surrounding areas in April this year, is delivering positive results.
The new Alternate Weekly Collection (AWC) has helped West Dunbartonshire Council move towards meeting the Scottish Government target of recycling 40% of household waste during 2010.
Since April 2010, when the new AWC service started, residents of these areas have been able to recycle more of their household waste. Blue and brown wheeled bins are now collected every two weeks instead of every four weeks, with landfill waste wheeled bins now collected every second week.
The main reasons for the improved recycling performance are the high levels of commitment local residents have shown to the new service, and the increased range of materials collected for recycling. Food waste is now collected in brown bins alongside garden waste, and items such as Tetrapak drinks cartons and aerosol cans, can now be recycled alongside paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, tins and cans in blue recycling bins.
Councillor Jim McElhill, the Council’s spokesperson for Environmental Services and Economic Development said: “Over 78% of residents participate in the new service, which shows a great commitment to recycling, and early analysis suggests that residents are now recycling food waste, drink cartons and aerosols, which were previously sent to landfill.
“Our early findings show that the amount of residual waste (the waste which is landfilled and never used again) has noticeably reduced since April. The new AWC collection service will help the Council to increase its recycling rates to meet the 2010 and future Zero Waste recycling targets set by the Scottish Government.”
Phase 2 of the Alternate Weekly Collection service will be rolled out to the Clydebank area in early 2011, with a communication campaign commencing in December 2010.
