Donna Latham, waste and environmental contract officer for Cornwall Council, attended the meeting of the community network panel to update both the panel and members of the public on the expansion of plastic recycling services in Bude and the surrounding areas.
She told the meeting: “Cornwall Council is currently expanding the collection of plastic pots, tubs and trays throughout Cornwall. To ensure that this major service change works smoothly, we are introducing it in five phases through spring until late summer, 2017.”
Bude, which sits in ‘phase 4’, alongside Launceston, Camelford, Delabole, Bodmin, Wadebridge and Padstow, will receive the first leaflets in the week beginning August 7, with deliveries of containment taking place between August 28 and September 8.
The first collections will take place in the weeks beginning September 11 and 18, with the new service leaflet being sent out during the week commencing September 11.
The meeting was told that the first pots, tubs and trays leaflet gives details on the new collection, with information on how to order more recycling equipment, what can be collected and a collection calendar.
The service leaflet includes information on all waste services, including how to reduce rubbish, garden and bulky waste collections, how to order a compost bin and what should and should not go into a black back rubbish.
Bude’s plastic pots, tubs and trays will be collected on the same day as the current recycling collection in the same bag as the one used already for plastic bottles, tins and cans, the meeting heard. Residents should remember to rinse and squash any dirty plastic pots, tubs and trays before recycling them.
The council has advised that they can recycle plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, but cannot recycle films, polystyrene, black plastic or ridged plastic at present.
Black plastics are unable to be recycled due to the lasers that ‘sort’ the plastics. The lasers are unable to see the black plastics, meaning it ends up in the reject pile at the end of the process.
More containers can be ordered online or over the phone. For further information, email [email protected] or phone 0300 1234141.