News

Important recycling and refuse information on its way
21st May 2013 08:00

Every household in Ashford will soon be receiving full details of their new recycling and refuse collections.

Ashford Borough Council (ABC) is writing to all residents in the borough this month with detailed information about the new weekly food waste collections and fortnightly recycling and refuse collections.

The information packs will contain full details of which bins your household will receive, updated collection calendars, and an in-depth guide on how the new collections will work.

Special roadshows have also been set up around the borough in May and June to allow you to test your recycling skills and to speak to experts about how to get the best out of your new recycling services.

All information is also available online at www.ashford.gov.uk/waste or call our special 24hour self-service hotline on 01233 330706 (hotkey number 8).

Portfolio holder for environment Cllr Jessamy Blanford said: “The new collections are only a few weeks away, and we want to ensure that everyone has all the information they need to make the new service a success. So please keep an eye out for your information pack in the post and keep it safe for future reference!

“This is going to be a big change for a lot of people, and we have to work together to make it a success. It will be a very busy time for staff and our contractors, which is why we have taken steps to ensure people have several ways of accessing essential information about the new service – by post, online and face to face at our roadshows.”

Biffa municipal division director Roger Edwards said the challenge of helping Ashford to transform its recycling performance will be met by a ‘fantastic team’ committed to making Ashford one of the county’s best.

He explained: “Biffa has drawn heavily on its extensive experience of helping local councils and their residents to recycle more. My experts have joined forces with those from Ashford Borough Council’s to create a fantastic team that is committed to helping residents make a real difference, and to helping Ashford become one of the best recycling authorities in Kent.”

ABC entered into a new contract with Biffa in April in order to increase the number of recycling collections across the borough.

From w/c 8th July, there will be a new weekly food waste collection, and alternate fortnightly recycling and refuse collections for all homes.

Residents will be able to recycle more items than before, including plastics, cardboard and food and drink cartons, and most properties will receive new wheeled bins for storage in June.

The new service set up is used by the best recycling authorities in the country, and could help boost Ashford’s recycling rates from 14 per cent (the worst in the UK) to more than 60 per cent by 2014/15 as achieved in other areas. It will also save £500,000 of taxpayer’s money a year.

How do YOU recycle?

Ashford Borough Council is running a short survey on residents’ attitudes to recycling and waste – we want to know how much you recycle now, if being green is important to your household, and what would make you recycle even more in the future.

Take the survey at www.ashford.gov.uk/waste and you could win either £30 of Dobbies vouchers or a year’s free subscription to our new garden recycling service.

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