Basingstoke council already has a kerbside collection which collects recyclable items in boxes and clear plastic sacks, but the council felt that larger wheeled bins would help residents recycle more of their rubbish and enable recycling targets to be met. The bins, which are made by Plastic Omnium, are also easier to collect.
Onyx will carry out the kerbside recycling service for the council as part of its seven-year collection, disposal and recycling contract which started in April. The contract is worth 2.2 million a year.
The recycling scheme will start on October 1 and is the result of requests from residents as well as a recommendation from the citizen's panel which investigated waste collections as part of a recent best value review.
The green wheeled bins are being given out to 48,000 households in the borough for the collection of plastic bottles, aluminium and steel cans and paper. The recyclable items will be collected on a fortnightly basis.
Residents have been given leaflets to explain the scheme and a series of roadshows will take place at supermarkets in the region during September.
Councillor George Hood, cabinet member for community well-being, said: “We need to increase the amount of waste we recycle to 20% next year and 30% in 2003, we can only do this with the help of every resident in the borough.”
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