Maidstone Borough Council 5 Thank you for recycling your food waste
Just a couple of months in and Maidstone council’s new food waste collection service is a big success. Since the end of January the facts speak for themselves:
Up to 80% of households are using the new food waste scheme
Every week more than 100 tonnes of food waste is sent for recycling into compost to grow more food.
The amount of waste collected in grey rubbish bins and sent for disposal to the Allington Incinerator has decreased by 37%.
More than 60% of waste can now be easily recycled in Maidstone with the new food waste collections, mixed recycling collections and local recycling sites.
All paper, card, food and drinks cans, aerosols, foil, yoghurt pots, margarine tubs and ice cream tubs can be recycled in green recycling bins.
Textiles, books, shoes and glass can be recycled at local recycling sites.
We’d like to say a huge thank you to residents for their support which has pushed Maidstone’s recycling rate to more than 40% already!
Making Maidstone Borough Count
The 2011 Census is underway and it is very important that everyone gets their forms in because the results determine the funding given to councils and health authorities.
In 2001, when the last census was held, 96% of forms were returned in our borough. This is a high rate of return but if everyone had replied Maidstone would have received an estimated extra £3 million a year to spend on services or to keep council tax rates lower.
Green light for Maidstone High Street
Maidstone council has agreed funding for a start to be made on Maidstone’s flagship High Street regeneration project.
And the cabinet has agreed the design of the first phase from the Chequers Mall to Pudding Lane and all of Bank Street.
New environmentally friendly garden waste sacks
White ‘compostable’ sacks have replaced green plastic garden waste sacks. The new white sacks, made of potato starch, are more environmentally friendly. They degrade naturally and go straight into the composting process.
Environment Manager, Jonathan Scott explains: “We had to split and throw away the old bags. Residents didn’t like that and we didn’t like having to do it. The new bags go straight into the compost process and are much more sustainable.
“The new bags replaced the old ones in September last year but we collected the plastic ones until the end of January this year. We tried to tell everyone about the changes with flyers at retailers and to residents who were using the old sacks; and with information at road shows, on the website and in Borough Update.
Residents were able to exchange rolls of sacks at participating shops and at the Gateway until January but due to the unexpected high numbers of old green plastic garden waste sacks still in circulation the council has extended the exchange arrangements.
Jonathan Scott says: “We will part exchange any unused sacks to the value of 50p each at the Gateway, King Street, Maidstone ME15 6JQ. But if any resident is physically unable to get to the Gateway we will collect and exchange sacks at their homes.
Maidstone Borough Council compostable garden sacks cost £3.25 for five. They are available from more than 50 retailers throughout the borough. Alternatively you can:
· Hire a garden waste bin for £30 a year by calling 01622 602600, or
· Compost garden clippings at home – for details of special offers on home compost bins from £15 visit
www.maidstone.gov.uk.
Anyone who still uses the old bags will be asked if they want them collected with their rubbish.
www.maidstonesdream.co.uk
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