Town council is recycling just 10 per cent of waste

Newtown Town Council wants to increase the amount of waste it recycles after it emerged only 10 per cent is currently recycled.

Councillors want to cut the amount of waste that goes to landfill and increase its recycling.

Its plans could see 50 per cent of waste recycled.

A meeting of the council's Resources Committee on Monday will discuss plans to change waste contractors in order to achieve this.

"An estimate based on observation would be that only approximately 10 per cent of our waste gets recycled. This does not include green waste that the council if far better at recycling  /  reusing by either leaving in place, composting or allowing others to make wildlife haven’s with," a report says.

"An extensive survey of our current waste has  not  been  carried  out  as  to  do  this  correctly  would require a large sample of waste taken over an appropriate period. This waste would then need to be separated out and  individually  assessed  that  would  in  the  current  climate  require time and increased risk of contamination from COVID-19."

The council currently has a single 1,100 litre skip collected weekly. It wants to change this.

"Our  current  contract  has  a  1100ltr (landfill) skip  collected  weekly,  it  is  proposed  that  we change our waste contractor who can provide us with two 1100ltr skips collected weekly with one skip of general waste and the other mixed recycling.

"The mixed recycling  will  be  for  plastic,  metal,  cardboard  and  paper, reducing  the  need  for multiple separating at the point of disposal (i.e. easier for the public to use).

The  general  waste  will  also  be recycled where possible at the contractor’s base and the majority  of what  cannot  be recycled will be incinerated to  produce  electricity and  heat with only 7 per cent going into land fill.

"In conclusion we can have double the capacity, with at least 50 per cent if not more recycling and only 7 per cent to land fill for an only an additional cost per year of £88.60."