Extra recycling bin for North Kesteven households as district councillors give go ahead

At tonight’s meeting of North Kesteven District Council, approval was given for the rollout of twin stream separate paper and card collections to go ahead to all remaining households in the district following a successful 12 month trial. Purple-lidded bins are expected to be delivered over a four week period starting from Monday August 2 for clean and dry paper and card, as well as information to help clean up the rest of the mixed dry recycling.

The trial last year saw residents from ten areas including Cranwell village, Walcott, Timberland and RAF Digby, put clean, dry paper and card in a separate purple bin and improve the quality of the rest of their recycling.

Over the 12 month trial period 135 tonnes of clean and dry paper and card were collected in the North Kesteven trial areas, with 95 per cent of those residents putting their purple bins out each month. The paper mills reported that 98.5 per cent of the paper and card collected was great quality for recycling. Putting the right thing in the right bin and separating paper and card lowers contamination and ensures more items can be recycled.

Paper has the potential to be recycled between four and seven times, for example, if it is in very good condition. The quality of the other items in the green-lidded bins has also significantly improved.

Households need not do anything until they receive their pack in the post, which will contain information about the collections including a calendar and leaflet.

Coun Richard Wright, leader of North Kesteven District Council, explains: “I’m pleased that we can now extend these improved recycling collections including separate paper and card collection to all remaining households in North Kesteven. These collections worked exceptionally well in the trial areas and I’d like to thank all the residents who took part and made it such a success.

“We know this is a change for residents across the district, so to help we will be sharing information directly with all households in advance including a calendar and a clear recycling guide showing which materials go in your green-lidded bin and new purple-lidded bin. A dedicated team will be on hand to help and give advice and guidance via email and out in the community supporting the rollout.

“We’ll also share information through our social media channels and website to help answer any questions residents may have, over the phone and via regular waste e-newsletters which residents can sign up for at n-kesteven.gov.uk/stayconnected – this is the ideal opportunity for you to use this service to receive regular and real time information direct to your inbox. We’ll also look at other methods of engaging with residents to help provide as much information as possible.

“We expect to start delivering the new purple-lidded paper and card bins from Monday August 2 and this will take approximately four weeks. By putting the right thing in the right bin and keeping paper and card separate in these new purple-lidded bins, we can all help lower contamination and make sure more items can be recycled.”

The project has been a result of collaborative working with district and county council partners in the Lincolnshire Waste Partnership, to meet the objectives of the Lincolnshire Joint Waste Strategy.

Coun Daniel McNally, Executive Councillor for Waste and Recycling at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “COVID and lockdown has meant that homes have increased levels of cardboard packaging to dispose of, so we know people are finding these bins really useful. For us, it means the paper and card can be kept clean and dry and then can be sent to a dedicated processor in the UK.

“This saves many road miles, reduces carbon emissions and enables a product to be created which can be reused and recycled again.”

For more information about recycling in North Kesteven, visit www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/recycling