Mid Devon recycling changes considered

It's after a new 'Bin It 123' service was rubberstamped

Mid Devon is to consider collecting household recycling every week.

The move comes as the district council this week rubber-stamped new three weekly collections for non-recyclable black bag waste, which will begin in October.

Described as ‘Bin It 123,’ the new regime will mean food waste continues to be collected each week and recycling and garden waste collections every fortnight.

But following a suggestion by Councillor Richard Chesterton (Conservative, Lower Culm) at this week’s cabinet meeting, a report will be presented later this year on whether a weekly recycling service is feasible and how it could be implemented.

“If we are going to genuinely increase our recycling rates, collecting more often is the best way to increase recycling rates because there’s a real incentive to recycle to get it out quickly,” he said.

Cllr Chesterton asked for a report to come to cabinet for consideration in time for next year’s budget, to look at “whether there really is a way of doing it or not.”

East Devon, the county’s number one district for recycling, has weekly collections. Its recycling rate is 60 per cent of all waste, compared to Mid Devon’s 53 per cent.

In response to the suggestion, cabinet member for the environment and climate change, Councillor Colin Slade (Conservative, Lowman) said it is his “aspiration to move to weekly recycling, but it is something that has to be thought about long and hard.”

He believes the council will have to do it eventually to fall in line with a wider Devon strategy on waste, but added the “cost-benefit [ratio] does not stack up at the moment.”

Cllr Slade claimed it would cost around a million pounds a year to move to weekly recycling, with a benefit to recycling rates of “about one per cent.”

However, he was happy to have a report brought back to cabinet to consider it in more detail.

Deputy leader of the council Councillor Clive Eginton (Conservative, Taw Vale), agreed with Cllr Chesterton and said East Devon “seem to have made it work in terms of their recycling figures which are extremely strong.

“It is something I think that we should certainly learn from in terms of what they have been doing in terms of weekly recycling.”

But cabinet member for finance Councillor Andrew Moore (Conservative, Clare & Shuttern) said: “There may not be … any link whatsoever or a minimal link between uptake on recycling rates and moving to weekly recycling collection.

“So, I think we need to be careful that we’re drawing conclusions when it may be inappropriate.

“I think it’s very valid to have a report and that’s fine, and it will underpin the budget. But I think at this stage it’s probably an outline report that gives us some idea of the pros, cons and likely financial impact.”