Fortnightly bin collections for city

FORTNIGHTLY bin collections are set to be introduced across the Potteries.

About 13,000 homes in Bentilee and Meir Park are to trial the new collection system from January.

They will get a new blue wheelie bin for plastic, glass, cans and recyclable paper,

That is on top of the existing grey wheelie bin for non-recyclable waste, including food waste, and the brown garden waste bin.

Binmen will empty the grey bins one week, before collecting the brown and blue ones the following week.

Under the new system, residents can use their brown bins for food waste and cardboard.

Council managers today stressed food waste can still be removed weekly under the new scheme.

It is estimated the changes will save the city £1.1 million a year because the council will not have to hire outside contractors.

All local authorities are expected to be recycling 40 per cent of household waste by 2010 and 50 per cent by 2020.

But the city is only recycling about 30 per cent as rubbish sent to the Sideway incinerator cannot be included in the figures.

It risks being fined hundreds of thousands of pounds by the Government if it fails to meet recycling targets.

The Bentilee and Meir Park pilot will be evaluated after six weeks and could be rolled out across most parts of the city by the end of next summer.

Portfolio holder for the environment, Councillor Joy Garner, said: "By properly sorting the city's waste we will be implementing a more efficient system. It is a responsibility to ensure the city is environmentally sound."

The council's waste services manager, Paddy Knowles, says the trial run will iron out any problems with the recycling system.

He said: "It is about learning lessons, and we will be looking to see if there are any improvements we can make to the scheme.

"But it is totally dependent on residents' participation and if people don't feel they own the new scheme then they won't participate. We don't see this as a fortnightly collection, it's an enhanced service."

The proposal will go before the council's executive and members board next week.