Rothwell residents to benefit from trial of improved recycling services

As part of the council’s plans to recycle over half of Leeds waste by 2020, a new trial recycling scheme is set to begin in Rothwell this month.

Over 8,000 households in Rothwell are to take part in the six-month trial of improved recycling collections designed by Leeds City Council to help the city step up its recycling and composting rates and reduce the amount of waste buried in landfill.

The new recycling scheme includes:
• fortnightly collections of paper, card, cans and plastic in a green bin;
• fortnightly collection of garden waste in a brown bin except in December, January and February when it will be emptied every four weeks;
• fortnightly collection of the black general waste bin; and
• a weekly collection of food waste.

Council research has shown that up to 40% of the total weight of Leeds households’ black bins is food waste. This could be as much as 40,000 tonnes a year. This waste is currently sent to landfill sites where it rots releasing harmful greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.

Under the new scheme residents will be able to put any food waste straight into a convenient small kitchen caddy inside the house, and then transfer it to a larger food waste bin outside, which will be collected weekly. As part of the trial, households have been given a choice of sizes of outside food waste bin to meet their needs.

The bins will be delivered to homes in the Rothwell trial area from 15th February. The trial will be closely monitored and evaluated before any longer term decisions are made about future recycling services.

As well as receiving a detailed information pack on how to use the new services, four brand new council 'waste doctors' will be available to visit properties to answer any questions about the new services and provide practical support to residents to help them to recycle more. The first of the new collections will take place in Rothwell on 22nd February.

Councillor James Monaghan, Leeds City Council’s executive board member for environmental services, said:
“Whilst we’re encouraged that residents in Leeds are recycling more than ever, we want to find ways to be recycling over half of all household waste by 2020, by providing a range of services that work well for residents.
“We know residents are keen to recycle as much as they can, so we’ve chosen to trial increased recycling collections and separate collection of food waste in Rothwell.
“Over the coming weeks we’ll be working closely with residents in Rothwell to show them how these exciting new recycling services will work and answer their questions. Rothwell residents are among the best recyclers in Leeds and we know that they will help to make the trial a great success and to help Leeds to reduce the amount of waste buried in the ground.”

Notes for editors
The European Union and the government are demanding that councils reduce the amount of waste that they bury in landfill sites. If this is not done, Leeds could face fines of up to £200 million between now and 2020.

More information about the new recycling collection trial can be found at www.leeds.gov.uk/recycleforleeds

ENDS
For media enquiries please contact:
Michael Molcher, Leeds City Council (0113) 224 3937
e-mail: michael.molcher@leeds.gov.uk