North Herts ends bring bank recycling service
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Council-run household recycling banks (‘bring banks’) in North Hertfordshire will stop taking collections on Monday (12 August) and will be removed over the following seven days, as part of the council’s plans to save money.
North Hertfordshire District Council (NHDC) has said that removing the bring banks from 21 locations across the area (mainly at supermarkets, car parks and retail parks) will save the council a gross annual cost of around £148,000. The council is set to face a budget cut of 8.7 per cent for 2013-14, a drop of approximately £550,000.
NHDC has justified the removal of the bring banks by stating they had become ‘obsolete’ in light of the council’s kerbside recycling scheme, introduced earlier in 2013. It argues that the changes will mean that ‘people no longer have to take their plastic, textiles and cartons to public recycling points’.
As a result of the bring bank closures, residents are being advised that if they have any recycling that doesn’t fit in their recycling bins or boxes, it can be placed in ‘suitable containers’ next to their mixed recycling bins, and will be removed as part of the normal collection service.
The council has emphasised that despite the removal of the recycling banks, NHDC Household Waste Recycling Centres, as well as supermarkets and charities that provide their own recycling facilities, will remain unaffected.
Councillor Peter Burt, NHDC portfolio holder for Waste, Recycling and Environment, said: “Removing NHDC’s public recycling banks will save tax payers money as we no longer need to employ contractors to empty them. This is because everything that has historically been recycled at the banks can now be recycled at the kerbside.
“People in North Herts are already keen recyclers and now they can recycle even more right on their doorstep.”
The banks scheduled for removal are:
- Morrison’s Supermarket, Broadway Car Park
- Radburn Way Jackman’s Estate
- Pelican Car Park, Pelican Way
- Sainsbury retail park (NHDC Banks only)
- Woodside Car Park
- Portmill Lane Car Park Off Queen’s Street
- Westmill Community Centre, John Barker Place
- Woolgrove Road Car Park
- Waitrose Supermarket, Bedford Road
- North Hertfordshire College, Cambridge Road
- Civic Centre car park, King James Way
- Tesco, Old North Road (NHDC banks only)
- Avenue Park car park
- Tesco, High Street (NHDC Banks only)
- Great Ashby Way, grass near play area
- Station Way/Kerr Close
- Garage Station Road
- Barkway Recreation Ground, Cambridge Road
- Codicote Sports Field, Bury Lane
- Kimpton Memorial Hall, Hall Lane
- Rear o the Town House, Church End
Bring bank use “drastically” declining
NHDC is the latest council to announce the removal of recycling banks, with both Epping Forest District Council and Cotswold District Council phasing out recycling bank services over the past few months.
Epping Forest removed all of its plastic and metal recycling banks at the end of November 2012, arguing that its kerbside collection service had led to bring banks contributing just 0.04 per cent of all recycling collected by the council.
Similarly, Cotswold District Council removed its recycling banks in January 2013, again citing the success of its kerbside collection scheme. Councillor David Fowles, Cabinet Member for the Environment at the council, said that it was difficult to justify the £100,000 annual cost of the bring banks in light of the “drastically” declining use of recycling banks in the area.
Councils removing recycling banks have argued that these plans have been implemented as a result of the success of kerbside collection services, but it could have a large impact on those living outside the remit of kerbside collection services, such as those living in flats or high-rise buildings.
Read more about recycling bring banks.
