Recycling rated

We are cleaner and greener

OLDHAM Council has been hailed as the most improved authority in Greater Manchester for recycling. 

New figures show that over the last three years the council and residents have produced an astonishing turnaround — leaping from rock bottom of the “green table” of local councils to third place after more than doubling recycling rates.

Back in 2006/07 only 15.53 per cent of waste was recycled in the borough. But by 2009/10 it had shot up to 36.62 per cent — an increase of 21.09 per cent and the best improvement out of the nine authorities which form Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority (GMWDA).

During that time the amount of garden waste recycled has gone from 4,524 tonnes per year to 7,010 tonnes and paper rates have more than doubled to 8,173 tonnes. Council chiefs say the huge improvements are thanks to the hard work of environmentally-friendly citizens and a number of schemes introduced by the council’s waste management service.

These include:

::Food waste collection service: One of the largest and most successful food collection services in the UK (around 450 tonnes a month). A relatively new concept within the UK, Oldham was one of the first local authorities in the country to implement a borough-wide scheme.

All food waste can now be recycled using the food caddy system.

::Schools Recycling Project: All schools now recycle glass, cans and plastic bottles as well as paper and cardboard.

::BME Project: Aimed at Asian communities which saw recycling rates improve from 31 to 75 per cent.

::Managed weekly collection service: This included delivery of new 140-litre brown bin for glass, cans and plastic bottles.

::Blue bin project: A recent scheme aimed at providing paper and card bins to residents who requested one.

The council hopes to push recycling rates further with the introduction this month of a new service allowing food and garden waste to be collected together and other schemes in the pipeline, such as the expansion of trade recycling.

Councillor Mark Alcock said: “We are very proud of being recognised as the most improved council when it comes to recycling — and this is because citizens across the borough are committed to it.”