Rubbish collections to be made fortnightly

Mar 6 2008 By Shirley Bartynek

FORTNIGHTLY bin collections will be introduced throughout North Lanarkshire next month.

North Lanarkshire Council’s environmental services committee say the agreed proposals aim to protect the environment, invest in the future and help charity.

Entitled Recycle for Good, the council’s rubbish collection blueprint was approved last Wednesday afternoon. It’s aimed at increasing recycling figures through an alternate weekly collection system similar to that operating in 13 other Scottish local authorities.

Other options were considered.

However, none had the potential to reach recycling targets without significant cost arising, for example, from the purchase of additional collection vehicles and payment of landfill taxes.

The council hope people will welcome the change, and have assured residents that they will do everything possible to make the transition to the new service as easy as possible.

“It is vital to understand that these proposals are for a weekly collection system,” said Councillor Helen McKenna, convener of the environmental services committee.

“Residents will still have one collection a week – the only change is that one week we will collect recyclables and the next we collect ordinary waste.

“All the evidence shows that when implemented properly, this system is a very effective way to increase recycling and protect environmental resources.

“And we have developed extensive plans to ensure implementation would run very smoothly.

“We ask residents to work with us while we implement the change, and to help us achieve the recycling targets we absolutely must achieve.”

The first step towards implementation will be an extensive education and information campaign that will tell residents about changes to the present system and ensure they are well prepared before the actual implementation.

“We will be in touch with every household in North Lanarkshire at every stage in the implementation process to ensure residents continue to receive the high quality service they expect,” added Councillor McKenna.