No cardboard in Shropshire's green bins
Families in more than 130,000 Shropshire homes who recycle cardboard in their garden waste will no longer be able to do so from the end of next month. Families in more than 130,000 Shropshire homes who recycle cardboard in their garden waste will no longer be able to do so from the end of next month. Changes to national composting rules mean that cardboard cannot be mixed with garden waste in a move which is designed to improve the quality of compost made for the gardening market. The new regulations mean Veolia Environmental Services, Shropshire Council's waste contractor, will no longer be able to collect green bins that contain cardboard. Council officials said cardboard collections would cease on November 28 affecting 131,000 households. Residents who wish to continue recycling cardboard will instead have to take it to one of the county's five household recycling centres or to recycling banks.[24link]
Families in more than 130,000 Shropshire homes who recycle cardboard in their garden waste will no longer be able to do so from the end of next month.
Changes to national composting rules mean that cardboard cannot be mixed with garden waste in a move which is designed to improve the quality of compost made for the gardening market.
The new regulations mean Veolia Environmental Services, Shropshire Council's waste contractor, will no longer be able to collect green bins that contain cardboard.
Council officials said cardboard collections would cease on November 28 affecting 131,000 households. Residents who wish to continue recycling cardboard will instead have to take it to one of the county's five household recycling centres or to recycling banks.
The change is being implemented because the inks used on some cardboard mean it can produce toxins during the recycling process which will not meet the new national composting regulations.
To inform residents of the change, a leaflet will be put under lids of all rubbish bins from the end of October. A permanent sticker will then be put on garden waste bin lids to act as a reminder for people not to put cardboard inside.
Councillor Mike Owen, the council's cabinet member for waste and recycling, today said: "We're really disappointed with this change as it means we will have to change a system which has successfully reduced the amount of waste going to landfill in the county over the last few years.
"The change in regulations being imposed at a national level will undoubtedly cause some inconvenience. However, residents can continue to recycle their cardboard by taking it to one of our recycling centres."
Donald Macphail, managing director of Veolia Shropshire, said: "We are committed to finding new ways of collecting cardboard so that this material can continue to be recycled from the kerbside."
He said they were working with Shropshire Council to explore different ways of collecting cardboard.
By Russell Roberts
