Changes to the way cardboard is recycled means a change to household waste collections in Derby from December.
From December 6th, cardboard should no longer be placed into brown bins along with garden waste. Instead, new orange bags will be provided in which to place cardboard waste for recycling. The bags, together with an information leaflet about the change, will be delivered to homes w/c 21st November. The bags will collected fortnightly along on blue and brown bin collection weeks.
The change has become necessary due to a change in national guidelines regarding the standard of compost. Currently cardboard is placed in the brown bins along with garden waste and sent for composting. However, the new guidelines mean that cardboard is likely to result in below-standard compost being produced, so an alternative method of collection, separate to garden waste, is now needed.
Speaking to the Derby Telegraph, Spondon Councillor and cabinet member for neighbourhoods, Chris Poulter, said it was not a change the council would have chosen to make but said it was able to use money from the authority's contingency waste budget to do so.
He said: "This is not a unique local issue and we have had to make a decision on how to deal with it. There were two options – to stop collecting cardboard, which would mean it would be thrown away in the black bin – or to collect it separately.
"To stop collecting it would see an increase in our landfill waste and the cost of our landfill taxes, as well as an imbalance in our recycling rates. It would also be of detriment to our carbon footprint.
"We will be reorganising our waste system in 2015 so we see this as a short-term measure."
For more information about the change, or any other queries about household waste collections, you can contact Streetpride, telephone 0333 200691, minicom 01332 256666, email streetpride@derby.gov.uk or visit www.derby.gov.uk/streetpride
