Bins in Ashfield to shrink in size as council aims to meet recycling goals

The size of Ashfield’s grey dustbins is set to be shrunk by a quarter as part of a council strategy to boost the district’s recycling rates.
Councillor Tim Brown helping Ashfield's binmen on their waste collection round.Councillor Tim Brown helping Ashfield's binmen on their waste collection round.
Councillor Tim Brown helping Ashfield's binmen on their waste collection round.

Environment bosses at Ashfield District Council want to achieve the national target of 50 per cent of waste being recycled by 2020 and cut the amount of rubbish sent to landfill.

As well as shrinking residents’ grey bins from a 240 litre capacity to 180 litres, a free garden waste collection will be introduced, subject to council approval next month.

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At the moment 34 per cent of waste collected by Ashfield is recycled. It is hoped the changes would achieve an initial 10 per cent increase.

Councillor Tim Brown, portfolio holder for environment, said: “Residents of Ashfield have always been extremely supportive of the council’s efforts to help them recycle more and the proposed scheme would do that.

“The majority of residents have told us before that they would like a garden waste bin and this will give everyone a chance to have one for two years without paying anything. We are confident that people will back this scheme.”

Under the proposals, the existing grey bins will be used for garden waste while the council will provide households with new smaller waste bins.

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Funding for the project would come from Nottinghamshire County Council, which, in turn, will pay less for the disposal of residual waste.

Alongside consideration by Ashfield District Council’s Cabinet, a similar report will be considered by Nottinghamshire County Council’s Finance and Property Committee and then by the Environment and Sustainability Committee.

If it is agreed, more details of scheme will be announced towards the end of November.