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The basic aim and goal of the waste strategy is to
reduce refuse across North Somerset by increasing our recycling
rates.
However, the ways in which we plan to achieve this are constantly
under review as the world in which we operate and your views change
with time.
Environmental law and Government and European targets become more
stringent and tougher as the years go by and are something we have
to adhere to.
Your views are equally as important to us and taken into account as
part of our annual consultation and review process.
These factors have already resulted in the evolution of our waste
strategy meaning our aims and goals have been changed and adapted
to take them into account.
As a result of public consultation a range of your ideas have
already been adopted as part of our waste strategy.
Some have already been implemented and include the following
service changes:
- The introduction of our fortnightly
green
garden waste collection scheme in February 2006 meaning green
waste is no longer collected as part of our general rubbish
collection service improving separation rates
- A commitment to improve sort rates by staff at our civic
amenity sites resulting in their rebranding as recycling centres
with improvements in signage and routing in order to maximise
recycling levels
- A commitment to continually seek to separate reusable items
from the waste stream and to reuse more items from our civic
amenity sites such as furniture, white goods and electrical and
electronic equipment
- All waste collections to be made at the edge-of-property right
across the district except for residents who we have made special
arrangements with such as the elderly, infirm or disabled
There are a number of your ideas which have been adopted by the
waste strategy and their implementation will be discussed at future
strategy reviews.
Budgetry and other constraints have led to these delays with the
following ideas set to be put into place as soon as circumstances
allow:
- The increase of kerbside recycling collections from fortnightly to
weekly - Due to be discussed in November 2006
- The co-ordination of the weekly recycling scheme collections to
coincide with green garden waste, recycling and
refuse
collections all being made on the same day each week
- The introduction of plastic bottle and cardboard packaging
recycling into the kerbside scheme
- The introduction of plastic bottle and cardboard recycling
banks across the district
Your role is also critical to the success of our waste strategy
and until now many of you have been unaware of the challenges we
face and how you can best play your part.
As a result we have made a commitment to improve our communication
as part of a campaign to promote awareness of waste issues.
This means we will provide you with more information on the
following:
- The reasons why we must change how we manage our waste
- The importance of individual effort in minimising and
separating wastes
- Our achievements, progress and plans
- How to minimise waste with tips on how to reduce, reuse and
recycle
- Campaigns on home composting, real nappies, recycling and waste
reduction among other subjects
Since the waste strategy began other proposals have also been
put forward but for the time being it has been decided that the
following ideas will not be implemented:
- The introduction of wheelie bins due to budgetry
constraints
- The introduction of a direct charge for the collection of
garden waste
- The reduction of food waste collection to once a
fortnight
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