East Suffolk Council will consider proposals to radically increase the range and volume of products which can be presented for household recycling at a meeting of its Cabinet next week.
Working together in response to Government legislation, Suffolk’s district and borough authorities - Babergh, East Suffolk, Ipswich, Mid Suffolk and West Suffolk Councils - are all reviewing their waste and recycling services to meet new nationwide ‘Simpler Recycling’ requirements by 31 March 2026.
With this in mind, East Suffolk’s Cabinet will discuss plans to vary the existing ‘dry’ recycling collection service by including glass and cartons; with plastic film to be incorporated the following year. This will be in addition to a brand-new weekly food waste collection, which is to be introduced across the county in the Spring of 2026.
As part of this refreshed recycling approach, East Suffolk will consider the adoption of ‘twin stream’ collections, where all households would be supplied with an additional wheelie bin or other container to separate paper and card, from plastics, metal, cartons (including Tetra Pak) and glass bottles or jars.
Twin stream recycling would reduce the amount of processing required at the Material Recycling Facility (MRF) keeping paper and card away from the glass and moisture in the recycling, making these materials easier to recycle while retaining a higher resale value. Splitting the recycling into two separate containers is also shown to reduce overall contamination of the recycling compared with co-mingled collections.
Through this approach, Suffolk has the potential to divert over 58% of waste from rubbish bins to other recycling and organic waste collections. On this basis, and to encourage improved recycling habits, the report which councillors will also consider proposes to reduce the collection of non-recyclable waste from fortnightly to once every three weeks.
East Suffolk’s Cabinet will sit on 3 September, with Suffolk’s other district and borough councils considering their own proposals in due course, reflecting the necessity to meet Government legislation requirements and improve recycling figures.
Cllr Sally Noble, East Suffolk’s Cabinet Member for the Environment said:
Westerfield residents are invited to comment on their Neighbourhood Plans, ahead of their submission for independent examination.
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Read more about "Tour of Britain travel information"...East Suffolk Council’s face-to-face customer services facility will relocate later this month, moving temporarily to the Council’s Riverside offices before moving permanently to Lowestoft Library at the end of the year.
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Read more about "Travel information ahead of the Tour of Britain Men"...Supported by East Suffolk Council, the final stage of the Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Men is coming to East Suffolk on Sunday 8 September and to celebrate, residents and visitors can enjoy a range of fun activities at the race start in Lowestoft and finish in Felixstowe.
Read more about "Activities in Lowestoft and Felixstowe to celebrate Tour of Britain"...Page 228 of 230