St Edmundsbury and recycling - the facts

• 1990 - St Edmundsbury Borough Council's Government recycling/composting target was 25 percent by 2000.
• 1992/93 - extensive trials carried out.
• 1995 - kerbside collection of green kitchen and garden waste (brown bin scheme) introduced following trials.
• Scheme extended across borough plus kerbside paper collection for 50 percent of residents.
• 26 percent recycling rate achieved in 2000/01 - just from green waste and paper.

St Edmundsbury awarded Beacon Council status by the Government for “Sustainable Development: Dealing with Waste 2000/2001”.

• As a high performer, St Edmundsbury then had two of the highest statutory recycling targets in the country:
• • To recycle/compost 33 percent by 2003/04
  • To recycle/compost 40 percent by 2005/06 (capped to 30 percent in 2004)
    
    
• Targets could only be achieved by introducing collections of dry recyclables (such as paper, plastic and cans)
• Network of 'bring banks', particularly for glass, also established.
• In partnership with neighbouring Forest Heath District Council, St Edmundsbury carried out comprehensive trials to find best type of collection if recycling bin introduced.
• Joint application with FHDC made to the Defra Waste Minimisation and Recycling (WRAP) Fund - grant awarded for expansion of brown bin scheme across both districts.
• Grant also covered infrastructure investment  - facilities and equipment needed to cope with recyclable materials.
• Second joint application to Defra - £2.049 million awarded to implement a third wheeled bin scheme.
• During 2003/04 three bin alternate week collection scheme introduced. One week all the recyclable material (including compostable material) and the other week all the leftover waste (such as cooked food and nappies).
• Through combination of strong political and management support, extensive education campaign and strict policies, the 3-bin alternate week collection achieves high levels of participation and householder satisfaction.

Just one year after introducing the three bin scheme to whole borough, St Edmundsbury's residents achieved a 50.64 percent recycling and composting rate.

• St Edmundsbury's approach adopted as model for all Suffolk local authorities and promoted as example of best practice to various councils in the UK and Europe. 
• Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy adopted by all Suffolk partners working towards implementing the three-stream collection approach, with vision of 60 percent recycling/composting by 2010.
• Joint bid from Suffolk Waste Partnership achieved £6 million for new composting facility at Lackford for St Edmundsbury and Forest Heath's green kitchen and garden waste.

More than half of St Edmundsbury's waste now goes to be recycled instead of into landfill.

For more information contact waste.management@stedsbc.gov.uk or phone 01284 757316 or 757320.