I have sent requests to various organisations, including local authorities to support this petition. The Councils chosen so far have climate change emergencies in place so it seemed appropriate to ask them. I have had no responses yet but it is early days.
My request is based on information contained in the document, ‘Waste collection services: guidance for local authorities’, published 23, July, 2021.* It states that dry recyclables are low health risk yet it specifies waste, including recyclables, should be collected at least fortnightly.
I explained: By collecting recycling less often local authorities would use less diesel and save money. They would also reduce carbon emissions and help reduce climate change. Changing collections, for example, from fortnightly to once every four weeks will potentially halve associated costs and carbon emissions. Increasing the time to six weeks would make an even bigger saving. The value will be measurable.
To support my petition I have consulted friends and acquaintances, asked how long it takes them to fill their recycling bin? A number of them do not fill them in two weeks so put them out for collection when it is necessary. A number are committed to putting out their almost empty bin every two weeks on the day set by the council. The answers to my question depended on various factors and ranged from two weeks to five.
I discovered that many people have a paper caddy that I estimate takes up almost a third of the bin space. The local Operations Manager for waste and recycling… and the Town Mayor assured me I don’t need one so I don’t have one. Without it there is 240 litres of empty space and with good management, compacting all recyclables, it can take up to six weeks to fill my bin. Mine does not have to be emptied every two weeks! I suggest all customers should be told they do not need a paper caddy and this subject should be researched further. Based on my findings I say Councils should be able to arrange collections in streets, areas and towns less often, use less diesel, emit less carbon and help reduce climate change.
Recycling is a very important issue so I hope that among other things time will be dedicated to educating customers about what is recyclable and giving them confidence in the process.
I would like everyone to sign a petition asking for legislation to allow local authorities to increase the time between recycling collections from two weeks to six.
Together we can transform the future.
PETITION
TO HELP LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO CUT SPENDING ON DIESEL AND REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS I/WE SUPPORT THE PETITION TO CREATE LEGISLATION TO INCREASE THE TIME ALLOWED BETWEEN COLLECTIONS OF HOUSEHOLD RECYCLING FROM TWO WEEKS TO SIX.
NAME and DATE
IS THERE A BETTER WAY?
The Council has adopted the single-stream system but I argue in favour of the multi-stream system in my book and here too.
This morning I was reminded that some time ago my local Authority supplied every home with bags and boxes in a Council multi-streaming recycling project. Like most Council’s it eventually decided householders could not separate their waste. It decided to change to a single-stream system. It replaced the bag and box with a big blue recycling bin and told customers to put all recycling in it. Helpfully, a list of materials that can be put in recycling was provided. Mine is still inside my bin. It is stuck to the lid.
Putting recycling into one receptacle is easier for customers and emptying one is easier for Council loaders and drivers. In many ways the single-stream system is ideal, but the recycling rates are not good!
In 2019, the year I became a member of Guisborough Town Council, RECOUP produced a survey showing challenges Councils find associated with household recycling. The biggest single challenge given was contamination. Other challenges included collection logistics and reduced collection frequency.
MY PERSONAL ASSESSMENTS:
Contamination is often caused by over zealous, ‘wish recycling’ customers. When they are not sure which bin to use they sometimes get it wrong. There is nothing to guide a correct decision.
I have trialled collecting recycling in a draw cabinet. It is easy to see which draw an item should go in. If the material does not go in a draw it goes in the general waste bin.
Other problems, such as logistics and collection frequency need to be defined and resolved by the Council.
ARE CUSTOMERS INTERESTED IN RECYCLING?
I advertised Global Recycling Day on social media for a month and got not responses at all. My conclusion is that those customers who use social media were not interested in recycling. Social media is not a good platform for advertising recycling. Councils who rely on that media probably get as much response as me. I know people who observe the labels on packaging, clean it, put it in the recycling bin and forget about it. To them it has no value. I suggest future advertising should be through other media. To be successful it must be given value. Let customers know that money raised through sales of recycling goes into that or other services and helps to reduce council tax.
IS RECYCLING FINANCIALLY AND ECOLOGICALLY VIABLE?
I suggest advertising should aim to assure customers that recycling is beneficial. It is good for the environment, helps reduce climate change and the council tax. Money from recycling goes into services.
HOW MUCH PLASTIC RECYCLING ARE WE COLLECTING ANNUALLY?
I collected my own household plastic from 24th, February to 24th, March 2022 and estimated my annual plastic collection rate.
The charity, RECOUP, does a UK Household Plastics Collection Surveys each year. I have copied mine, and its figures for 2019 and 2021 into the table below.
| RECOUP survey results for Plastic per household per year in 2019 and 2021. I averaged my own results for plastic collected from 24.02.22 to 24.03.22. | |||
| RECOUP
2019 (kg) |
RECOUP
2021 (approx kg) |
My Collection
2022 (kg) |
|
| Plastic bottles + Pots, tubs, trays | 12.65 + 6.91 | 14 + 6 | 12.9 |
| Plastic film | 0.86 | 1 | 2.6 |
| TOTAL PER YEAR | 20.42 | 21 | 15.50 |
My total is less than RECOUP’s, however both are small compared to the effort that goes into collecting and sorting. If I am right, valued at up to £400 per tonne my collection will be worth about £6 per year.
Other recycling materials are collected. They all save resources. Bear in mind that less than 50% of recycling collected is recyclable. Should the cost to the environment and the effect on climate change of fossil fuel driven recycling wagons be accounted for? Recycle Angel shows there is another way!
I am grateful toRECOUP for allowing me to include the figures in this blog.
REFERENCES
recoup-uk-household-plastics-collection-survey-2019-1591878883.pdf Item, Performance Rate – Average Collection Rates per Household per Year, 2019
recoup-uk-household-plastics-collection-survey-2021-1637743422.pdf. Item,
Household Collection Performance. Household Collection Rates, 2021
Fred Page © 2022
SAVING DIESEL AND THE PLANET
One Council is hoping to make a significant change to help reduce its impact on the environment. It is planning to convert 2 bin wagons and one other vehicle to dual fuel. That includes hydrogen. It estimates it will save more than 10,000 litres of diesel per year.
The hydrogen will be produced in the greenest possible way using an electrolyser connected to solar panels and grey-water recycling. (Spelled graywater in the USA)
WHY I WROTE RECYCLE ANGEL
I wrote the book, Recycle Angel, because I was fed up of council taxes going up and so little being done to help reduce climate change. I can only hope that council’s saving will be reflected in Council Tax bills.
SAVE MONEY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Without nit-picking, in England there are over 300 councils. If every council vehicle was converted and they all saved 10,000 litres of diesel per year that could be more than 3,000,000 litres saved. That would help the environment. As we all know the price of diesel is more than one pound per litre so that could be a financial saving of more than three million pounds nationally.
While we wait for councils to convert all vehicles away from fossil fuels such as diesel I would like to see the same service rendered if vehicles are used more sparingly and fuel consumption reduced.
THE GOVERNMENT AIMS TO HELP
The government set its climate change targets, its aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). It is increasing the numbers of electric vehicle charging points across the country to give motorists confidence they will be able to recharge and not run out of power. Sadly much of the electricity needed is produced in gas burning generators. Gas is a fossil fuel!
Thought for the week:
If higher demand contributes to higher prices is there anything you can do to reduce your contribution?
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