The change has been introduced as part of the Council’s Waste Strategy in order to move Swindon towards a target of 60% recycling by 2029.
Currently 40% of waste produced by residents is recycled correctly, the council claims.
Councils can make recycling a compulsory requirement for residents under section 46 of the 1990 Environment Protection Act, which can lead to fixed penalty notices for those failing to participate in the service. However, only a handful of local authorities in the UK currently use these powers. These include Islington and Mid Devon councils.
Recycling service
Swindon operates a fortnightly kerbside-sort recycling using boxes and bags, with residents asked to present paper and card, glass bottles and jars, metal cans and tins, empty aerosols and foil in boxes.
In order to promote compliance with the new rules, council-employed waste wardens will provide guidance to residents who do not recycle.
“We are confident that our residents will support us as we start making the necessary steps towards becoming more sustainable and ensuring that our waste is dealt with in the most responsible way.”
Councillor Maureen Penny, Swindon borough council’s cabinet member for transport and the environment, said: “We are hopeful that the changes we are making to Swindon’s waste services will help us to achieve the best possible environmental and economic outcomes for the town over the next decade.
“We are confident that our residents will support us as we start making the necessary steps towards becoming more sustainable and ensuring that our waste is dealt with in the most responsible way.”
In Swindon, recycling has fallen over the last five years from 48% in 2011 to 38% in 2016/17, the council says. And, collection and disposal of waste in the borough is reported to cost around £14 million per year.
In 2017/18 the council collected a total of 92,522 tonnes of waste and recycling, of which around 56% was converted to SRF and sent to energy from waste, and around 4% was sent to landfill.
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