Question: What’s red, green, grey and now blue. Anwer: Telford’s refuse and recycling system.
Householders who already have grey wheelie bins for normal rubbish, green wheelie bins for garden refuse and red boxes for recycling are getting a little extra next month: A new blue box and a special bag.
Existing recycling boxes (red) will get a divider down the middle so that glass, such as bottles and jars, can be put in one side while tins, cans, aerosols and foil can go in the other.
A smaller, box (blue, with lid) is now to be provided for waste paper together with a new bag (colour unspecified) for cardboard, which can be folded up and stored away when not in use.
Telford & Wrekin Council say the revamp of the boxes and bags has come about after it asked residents how recycling could be made easier for them.
Every home in Telford and Wrekin which gets a recycling service from the kerbside will start getting the new containers in a few eeeks time.
After a short break to cover the summer holidays, it is hoped they will all be delivered across the borough by the end of October.
Like the bi-weekly service itself, however, not everyone likes the idea.
One St Georges resident wrote a letter to a local newspaper saying: “These bins take up about 30 sq ft in space to store, space on my property, so I feel I should be within my rights to charge the council for storage. Not only do they want us to store theses bins, they now want us to sort the rubbish for them and in the case of tins and bottles, wash them.”
Sally Hall, team leader with Telford & Wrekin Council’s Waste Projects team, said: “We hope the new recycling service will make it simpler for borough residents to recycle and encourage even more people to think twice before throwing household waste out.”
A spokesman for Telford & Wrekin Council said: “It is always good to hear from local residents and if anyone does not want the new containers then they should contact the council on Telford 384384.”
A series of roadshows will be taking place around the borough over the next couple of months. Anyone who wants details should call 01952 384384 or visit www.telford.gov.uk/recycling