Press Release 01-02-07

‘FANTASTIC RESPONSE' TO GREY BIN RECYCLING
Wirral set to exceed recycling target

Since November Wirral Council has been rolling out the new grey bin recycling service to 140,000 domestic properties across the Borough and the final phase was completed last month. Early indications are that the new scheme will be a resounding success with high participation from residents resulting in a dramatic increase in Wirral's recycling figures.

“Before the introduction of the new scheme, Wirral was averaging a recycling rate for dry recylates of just below 7%, one of the worst in the country. After the introduction of the first phase of the scheme last November to 24,500 properties this rate increased to just over 10%.

“The second phase of the scheme in April, to a further 70,000 properties, saw another stepped and sustained improvement, and in May we recorded a figure of just over 14% for dry recyclates.

“And, when we add our projected figure for dry recyclates to our improved garden waste composted figures, early indications are that we will not only achieve our combined target for 2007/8 of 23%, but we are set to exceed it. Indeed our June recycling and compost figure is showing that we have a combined recycling and compost rate of 26.88%”

”These are excellent results which show a big improvement in our recycling performance.

“The response and enthusiasm from residents for recycling has been fantastic, and I'm optimistic that before long Wirral will have the best recycling record in Merseyside, but it doesn't stop there.

“We will shortly be launching a campaign to promote home composting, and tetrapak collection sites are being introduced at 7 sites across the borough. We are also working in partnership with Liverpool Council to create a DVD and schools support package for Key Stage 2 pupils. The package will aim to encourage participation in the grey bin scheme and aid the introduction of the scheme into schools next term. Pupils from a number of local schools are being involved in the making of the DVD”.

“This is all good news for the environment and our pockets; Gordon Brown recently announced that landfill tax charges were to go up £8 per tonne per year, as opposed to the previous £3 per tonne per year. The more waste we can divert from landfill the more money we can save in landfill charges.”

There's also good news to report on the Council's Call Centre, which has seen a vast improvement in service since May.

“One of the reasons for the problems during the second roll out of the grey bin collection in April was that the Call Centre was so overwhelmed by enquiries from the public that in spite of great efforts by Call Centre staff it could not answer all the calls appropriately and on time thus increasing confusion amongst the public.”

“Measures have now been put in place to prevent this happening again, and as a result, the third roll out of grey bin collections in June saw the number of calls answered go up from 72% to 98%, in spite of Streetscene continuing to receive high volumes of calls made even worse due to recent flooding problems.

“Some residents now don't even need to complete their call because they receive the relevant information from a taped message.”

Measures put in place at the Call Centre include: the training of an extra seven staff to cope with this transitional period; a regularly updated telephone message to provide as much initial information as possible before residents actually speak to an advisor; and a clear system for escalating recurrent enquiries and complaints to a manager.

Councillors Jean Quinn and Gill Gardiner and on a recent visit to the Materials Recovery Facility at Bidston, viewing separated out cardboard and cans which have been bulked for transport out for recycling.