City recycling rates on the way up (From Chelmsford Weekly News)

City recycling rates on the way up

7:00am Wednesday 2nd January 2013 in News

RECYCLING rates have increased in Chelmsford during the first 11 months of 2012, figures have shown.

Information collected by Chelmsford Council for January to November has revealed the amount of plastic picked up by dustmen has gone up by 18 per cent compared to 2011.

It has also been shown the total amount of cardboard collected for recycling has also improved by 12 per cent compared to the previous year.

Council leader Roy Whitehead said it was great to see the amount of recycling improving in the city, but he added the authority want to keep the figures increasing.

Mr Whitehead said: “We’ve been working very hard towards getting the recycling rate increased.

“I think it helps that from the halfway point of the year we started collecting all the recycling materials on the same day which made it easier for residents.

“We’re still looking at pushing the level up even more though and are about to start a pilot scheme looking at how much is collected at flats around Chelmsford.

“It’s much trickier for people who live in flats to recycling if they don’t have storage space for it, so this is an area we want to look at.”

To help improve recycling rates even more during 2013, the council has set up a number of events in the new year to give advice to residents. This includes an electrical equipment session in the Riverside Ice and Leisure Centre car park on Friday and Saturday (Jan 4 and 5).

Between 10am and 3pm on both days, people will be able to bring unwanted or broken appliances such as computers and kettles to be taken away and recycled.

Then on Sunday, a Christmas tree recycling event has been organised at Hylands House to give people the chance to have their festive tree chipped and added to a compost mixture.