Recycle More collections start in Taunton Deane

The rollout of the scheme, which expands the amount of items that can be recycled on the doorstep, reached the district this week after months of planning.

And the Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP), which oversees recycling and waste collections in the county, said 'bags more recycling has been collected'.

By the end of the week, SWP staff should also have completed around 17,000 new three-weekly rubbish collections.

Figures will not be available for some time, but the very early signs are that the public are giving the new service their backing.

“We’ve been really happy with day one,” said Mickey Green, SWP managing director.

“The bright blue bags are everywhere and we’re seeing what looks like a really positive response.

"Most people want to recycle and the new service makes it easier for everyone to do the right thing.

“More than 97% of recycling we collected last year stayed in the UK for reprocessing, so be assured that what is sorted for recycling goes to the right place."

The collections started in Wellington and Milverton on Monday, with all homes in the Deane set to have their first new collection this week.

Recycle More has added the following to weekly recycling collections:

• Plastic pots, tubs and trays

• Food and drink cartons such as Tetra Pak

• Small batteries

• Small electrical items

More weekly recycling means less rubbish, which is now collected every three weeks, SWP says.

Meanwhile, collection days have changed for around a half of households.

Collection calendars have been sent to every home, and days and dates can be checked at somersetwaste.gov.uk using the My Collection Day feature.

Extra recycling containers - Bright Blue Bags - have been delivered across the area that includes Taunton, Wellington and Wiveliscombe.

The Bright Blue Bag is for:

• Plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays

• Tins and cans, aerosols and foil

Recycle More cannot recycle all plastics; the following SHOULD NOT go out for collection:

• Plastic bags, wrappers or plastic film coverings from trays or punnets,

• Crisp packets or pet food pouches

• Plastic toys or plastic plant pots

• Expanded polystyrene

Some supermarkets now take some of these materials so please check where you shop. You can also check www.terracycle.com for local volunteer collections.

For more information about what plastics can be recycled where, visit somersetwaste.gov.uk/act-on-plastics/ If you cannot reuse or recycle them, put them in your rubbish bin.

What needs to go into the green and black recycling boxes has changed. Boxes have been stickered to show what goes where.

• Green box – glass bottles and jars and cartons (such as Tetra Paks)

• Black box – paper and card (please keep separate)

• Brown food waste bin – all food waste

Household electricals go in an untied carrier bag on top of recycling - bags will be returned. Small batteries go into tied bread bags, freezer or similar see-through bags.

For information, visit somersetwaste.gov.uk/recycle-more