Garden waste scheme expands

More routes have been added to a popular recycling scheme in South Holland and extra spaces were released this week.

The garden waste collection service was run as a pilot scheme in a limited area of the district.

Some 3,600 households were able to subscribe as there were ten routes available as only one vehicle was adapted.

But another has been added and the popular scheme has opened a further ten routes for residents.

The spaces were released on Monday by the district council.

Subscribing to the service costs £49 a year and a one-off delivery charge for the delivery of the bin.

“Our pilot garden waste scheme was very successful and we are delighted to be offering even more residents an affordable, convenient and eco-friendly method of disposing of their garden waste.

“We hope to offer this service to up to 90 per cent of households across the district and seeing the appetite of residents to be part of the scheme is fantastic,” said council member Roger Gambba-Jones, portfolio holder for place.

“If you are interested but your route is currently full, or we are yet to reach your areas, do sign up to the register of interest as it serves as a vital resource to show us where the demand for greater provision lies,” he added.

South Holland had the lowest rate of composting household waste last year with just 5.2 per cent. The top district was West Lindsey with 27.8 per cent. As a total, Lincolnshire’s figure was 22.3 per cent.

“While the government no longer sets targets for individual authorities, it should be noted that the UK is currently committed to meeting the EU recycling targets, including 50 per cent by 2020” says the revised Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy.

Figures presented to the Lincolnshire Waste Management Partnership showed the area only recycled and composted 28.3 per cent of household waste last year.

Speaking in March, Mr Gambba-Jones said the composting garden scheme was likely to be established district-wide.
South Holland continues to grow and mid 2017 estimates were put at 93,300.

The population of the county has grown by more than five per cent and the strategy indicates that the energy from waste facility at Hykeham is already ‘operating close to capacity.’

“Without a new processing route, any additional residual waste would have to be sent to landfill,” the report says.
Foodwaste trials are currently underway within South Kesteven District Council and may form part of a future collection strategy.

For further information on the South Holland Garden Waste Scheme see the website: www.sholland.gov.uk/GardenWaste