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NEW COUNTY WIDE SOMERSET CONTRACT SET TO BOOST RECYCLING BEYOND 50%
15/10/2007
The signing of a new contact between the Somerset Waste Partnership and ECT Recycling took place this week and paved the way for Somerset to reach record recycling rates.
From the 15th October, the collection of recycling and refuse will be carried out by recycling and waste management company ECT, and whilst the message to the public is to carry on as normal, the new contract opens up the potential for cardboard and plastic bottles to be added to the kerbside in the near future.
The news follows on from the recent announcement of the formation of the new Somerset Waste Partnership, which will take over the management of waste and recycling services from the six councils in Somerset.
Steve Read, Managing Director of the Somerset Waste Partnership said:
“This is an important step towards our aim of recycling over 50 per cent of our household waste, and we are all delighted to be working with ECT, who have an excellent track record on recycling and waste management. The new contract provides excellent value for money, with a projected saving of £1.7 million, and includes running trials next spring to add cardboard and plastic bottles to the kerbside, which will be another great boost to recycling in Somerset”.
Speaking at the signing of the new contract, Andy Bond, Managing Director of ECT Recycling said: “The ‘SORT IT!’ model at the heart of the partnership contract is the best approach to waste management in the UK. Somerset has one of the highest recycling rates in the UK but more importantly one of the lowest amounts of residual waste. By collecting food waste separately, people become more aware of the amount they are throwing out and start to minimise their waste themselves. We’re delighted to be part of this partnership”.
As well as investigating options to add more materials to the kerbside, the new contract will look at harmonising recycling and waste collections throughout Somerset in order to provide a better service to the public. The contract runs for seven years, with the option of two further extensions of up to seven years.
Somerset is already one of the top performing councils in the country, with an overall recycling rate of 47 per cent. For more information on recycling and waste in Somerset, including advice on how you can reduce the amount you produce, log on to www.recyclesomerset.info