Residents to play part in better recycling

THOUSANDS of residents across Hambleton and Richmondshire are to be consulted on waste disposal in an attempt to get recycling rates in the two districts up to the best in North Yorkshire.

The two district councils, which share a waste management service, currently have recycling rates of 48 per cent.

The best in North Yorkshire is Ryedale District council with 52 per cent while the worst is Harrogate Borough Council which has recycling rates as low as 28 per cent in some parts of the district.

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Coun Brian Phillips, Cabinet member for people and sustainable communities at Hambleton District Council, said more than 5,000 households were to be consulted on the planned overhaul of waste disposal across the two districts.

He said: "There is a real desire among people wanting to recycle in the areas.

"We can certainly bring our recycling rates up to 50 per cent and in the long term we would be looking at 55 per cent or over.

"We hope following this consultation we can get up to having the best recycling rates in the county.

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"If the capacity is there then we would hope to start incorporating what people want into the waste disposal service straight away."

Currently a kerbside collection is in operation with plastic glass and cans all put into one box by residents – it is then sorted out by waste disposal teams.

Much of the 600,000 spent annually on the service is recouped by selling the recycled products on, although Coun Phillips says the service is showing a small loss.

The surveys are being delivered randomly by refuse collection crews to 3,900 homes in Hambleton and 2,200 houses in Richmondshire and can also be completed on line at www.hambleton.gov.uk/wastesurvey or www.richmondshire.gov.uk.

Both councils sent out two similar surveys to households in 2009 and said changes were made as a result of feedback.