Shrewsbury cardboard recycling trial to be extended

About 100 homes in Hanwood, near Shrewsbury, have been taking part in a 12-week trial since July which has seen food waste and cardboard collected from the kerbside for the first time.

But 400 more households are to benefit as the trial spreads to the whole of Hanwood as well as 100 homes in Bayston Hill and Meole Brace, areas that were previously testing out a different model.

Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council's cabinet member for waste management, said: "We're grateful for residents' support and enthusiasm for these trials over the past few weeks.

"Both trials have proved very successful, but we're now keen to extend the Hanwood model in the short-term, to test it over a wider area and to see what residents think."

The trials have formed part of a review into waste collection services and hope to explore ways to reintroduce kerbside collections to Shropshire.

And after information is compiled from the trials and evaluated, it will help design a new service for the whole county, which is due to be rolled out next year in partnership with the council's waste contractor Veolia.

So far, residents have given positive feedback for the project, and Great Hanwood Parish Council clerk, Caroline Higgins, said she thought the plans to expand would be well received.

She said: "The only responses I have had so far have been positive – someone did say it was great."

While the trial was due to finish tomorrow, there has not been a new date set for the end of the project.

Meanwhile, residents in Telford have been encouraged to embrace recycling though a new calendar which gives the dates of bin collections as well as informing people what can and cannot be recycled.

Veolia has also been planning a monthly recycling clinic in the Southwater One building, with the next one to be held on October 22 from 10.30am to 1.30pm.