Glass recycling pilot scheme to be trialled

A PILOT scheme to collect glass from nearly 15,000 homes has been approved by council chiefs.

Plymouth City Council cabinet members yesterday approved plans to collect the glass using the existing green bins from a solitary 'round' in the city later next year. If the pilot is considered a success, the authority said it hoped to roll it out across the city, in an effort to increase Plymouth's recycling rates

Councillor Mike Leaves, cabinet member for street scene, waste and sustainability said the pilot was proof the council was "showing its commitment to recycling for the city".

The pilot would begin next September on "round six" of the city's collection routes, although the agenda did not stipulate which streets fell into the route.

Cllr Leaves said it was a "really big step" for the council, as were plans to upgrade more of its waste vehicles.

He also laid out plans to build a new Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) "in the near future" to tackle the problem of waste, noting that "we cannot go on land- filling our waste."

He said the glass recycling scheme would increase the city's overall recycling rate by another four percent, adding that "we've got to make the target of 40 percent". The garden waste collection scheme was also being expanded to include more homes.

His words were echoed by council leader Vivien Pengelly who said it was much better for Plymouth residents to use the current green wheelie bin rather than have to deal with yet another coloured bin.

She noted how other authorities often dished out so many different coloured bins residents became exasperated at blocked pavements and ended up pouring everything in together. She said the elderly would also benefit as many were unable to carry their bottles to a nearby supermarket where glass recycling containers were often kept.