50,000 homes set for a new wheelie bin system

9:17am Tuesday 20th May 2008

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TEN thousand households in Wychavon will begin using wheelie bins this September, it has been revealed.

A report, due to be debated by councillors next week, details how waste could be collected in the district with the introduction of the new wheelie bin system.

The report shows the remaining 40,000 homes in the district will be part of phase two, which starts in March next year.

As previously reported by your Worcester News, Wychavon district councillors voted in November to introduce wheelie bins and an alternate weekly collection although, unlike Worcester's system, food waste will still be collected each week.

Places closest to Redditch, where recycling will be taken until a new facility at Norton is finished, will be in the first phase. However, Droitwich and Evesham fall into phase two because collection vehicles suitable for those areas will not be available until late 2008.

Under the new system, most households will receive a grey bin with 190 litres of capacity for non-recyclable waste, although smaller 140-litre bins will be available on request and a larger one, 240 litres, will be given to families of six or more or where nappies or incontinence pads are used. Homes will also receive a green 240-litre recycling bin with additional ones available where requested.

On weeks where recycling material is collected, residents can put out food waste in a silver 20-litre bin with a lockable lid and the council will also provide a seven-litre kitchen caddie for use within the home.

However, food waste will be composted one week and sent to landfill the other, after officers discovered it would cost an extra £238,000 per year to compost food waste every week.

Everyone in the district will have to use the bins unless there is no storage or access to the front of their homes or where steps or steep gradients could pose a problem.

Officers will begin inspections over the next few weeks to decide on exempted homes, which will continue to use sacks.

Phil Merrick, Wychavon's head of community services, said: "Following a great deal of research I believe that the council will be introducing a high quality and comprehensive waste and recycling service.

"This will not only see significant improvements in the amount of recycling materials we collect but I believe will be sensitive to public concerns, especially when it comes to food which will continue to be collected weekly."

The report will come before Wychavon's executive board on Tuesday, May 27.

Phase one: Hartlebury; Ombersley; Lovett and North Claines ward with the exception of Westwood parish; Dodderhill; Bowbrook; Upton Snodsbury; Norton and Whittington; Inkberrow ward with the exception of Cookhill; Abbots Morton; Rous Lench; Abberton and Church Lench parishes; Drakes Broughton; Pinvin.

Phase two: All Droitwich wards; Pershore; Eckington, Bredon; South Bredon Hill; Fladbury; Elmley Castle and Somerville; all Evesham wards; Broadway and Wickhamford; Badsey; Bretforton and Offenham; The Littletons; Honeybourne and Pebworth; Harvington and Norton; plus parishes of Westwood, Cookhill, Abbots Morton, Rous Lench, Abberton and Church Lench.