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Information packs have been delivered to more than 26,000 homes ahead of the launch of kerbside recycling next week.
The packs comprise a leaflet explaining how the new service works, and a “wheel” that includes a calendar showing which coloured bags to put out each week.
More than 80% of homes have also received a supply of the specially designed clear and blue recycling bags, although deliveries are continuing this week in St Sampson’s and St Peter Port.
Waste prevention and recycling officer Tina Norman-Ross said the Department wanted to hear from anyone who has not received either the information pack or the wheel.
‘At the end of last week we had delivered the pack to 99% of households. Both the leaflet and the wheel contain important details about the new service so we want to make sure everyone has received them,’ she said.
‘Anyone who hasn’t got their bags yet should receive those this week. We still have some rounds in St Peter Port and St Sampson’s to complete, and a small area in St Martin’s. However homes in all other parishes should now have everything. If not, we want to know.’
The new recycling wheel also includes information on what can be recycled in Guernsey, including household items not included in the kerbside service, such as mattresses and fire extinguishers. It also has a fridge magnet, so that the calendar information can be kept close at hand.
The kerbside scheme will work by islanders separating their recyclables into three streams; paper and card, which will go in the clear bags; tins, cans, plastic containers and drinks cartons, which can be put out in the blue bags; and glass, which during the interim scheme will still need to be taken to the bring banks.
The clear and blue bags will be collected from the kerbside by parish contractors on alternate weeks, on a household’s normal bin night. The first collection of clear bags filled with paper and card, will start this weekend.
St Sampson’s Constables have also written to every household in the parish explain that the first of the two current bin nights will become a recycling only collection.
Refuse collections in all other parishes will be unchanged, and islanders simply put out their recycling bag alongside their bins or black bags.
‘We have made the scheme as simple as possible for people,’ said Mrs Norman-Ross.
‘Most islanders won’t have to change how they currently put out their rubbish for collection, just put the appropriate bag of recycling next to their rubbish and it will be collected the same night to be taken to the sorting facility.’
Mrs Norman-Ross also clarified that islanders could put out as much recycling as they wanted.
‘During the trial scheme islanders can put out as many bags as they need to, provided they are the right colour on the right week. If they run low they can contact the Department to receive some more, or alternatively the Constables office in each parish will keep a supply,’ she said.
Drop-in sessions for islanders to ask questions of the recycling team have been running throughout the island. There are still opportunities to see Public Services’ staff before the start of the scheme at:
If islanders are unable to visit one of the drop-in sessions for any reason, but would still like more information, they can go online and visit www.gov.gg/recycling, email recycle@gov.gg, or call public services on 234699.
