Kerbside materials show rise of more than 11%

MEDIA RELEASE: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not Bailiwick Express, and the text is reproduced exactly as supplied to us

More than 500 tonnes of additional materials could be recycled in the first full year of kerbside collections - equivalent in weight to around 40 London double decker buses or 3.5 million copies of the Guernsey Press.

Between March and September, nearly 140 tonnes of additional paper and card was collected from households or through the bring banks, compared to the same period in 2013. There was a similar increase in the combination of drinks cartons, tins and cans, and plastic packaging.

Overall these materials were up nearly 11.5%, while parish waste being sent to landfill fell by 7%. Glass, which is still only collected through bring banks, was also up more than 2.5%.

Public Services Deputy Minister Scott Ogier said the increases were evidence of the success of the kerbside scheme.

"The additional tonnages that we are set to recycle in the first year of the new service speak for themselves. This is potentially 500 tonnes of materials that would otherwise have ended up in Mont Cuet, but which will instead now be put back to good use," he said.

"We must not forget this is still only the beginning. Recycling is now more convenient, and more easily accessible to many people than it has been up until now. We are starting to see the benefits of that. We have made a good start, and we can build on this success. I am sure we can still make some improvements, and we are keen to hear from anyone who is experiencing any issues."

The latest kerbside figures include an increase of more than 6.5% in paper and cardboard, which had both seen a significant fall in tonnages in recent years. The UK recently reported combined collections of these materials fell by more than 4% last year alone.

The combined tonnage of cartons, plastic packaging, and tins and cans, which has been rising in recent years, has gone up by more than a third since the start of kerbside collections. The boost from kerbside is not expected to be reflected in the official household recycling rate until 2015 at the earliest. This is because the headline rate also includes other materials, such as scrap metal and green waste, which is prone to large fluctuations. The next quarterly update is due out towards the end of this month.