Residents told to use three new containers instead of mixed recycling green bags
AROUND 4,000 homes in Llandaff, Radyr, Pentwyn and Trowbridge are trialling a new recycling scheme to replace green bags with sacks and caddies.
Residents involved have to separate glass into a new blue caddy and plastic, paper, card and tins into two reusable sacks, rather than putting them all in one green bag, like the rest of Cardiff.
This means residents will have up to six containers for their rubbish – the three new trial ones plus a green bin, black bin and food caddy. If the trial works, the scheme will be rolled out across Cardiff.
Cardiff Council hopes the scheme will help the city become carbon neutral by 2030 by removing the 24 million single-use green bags currently in use.
But some people have raised concerns about storing the containers and the waterproof capabilities of the blue sacks for paper and card.
Among those concerned is Ruth Webley, 56, of Pontcanna, who said: “Places with flats and only front gardens are going to look dreadful as they will have nowhere else to store the containers. In windy weather, empty bags will be blown around.
“The money spent on this pilot could go on other things. Why mend something that does not need fixing?”
Liberal Democrat Councillor of Pentwyn, Joe Carter, said: “There are real question marks as to how we are going to store these items. You cannot store these sacks in your house particularly easily if you have not got a garage or shed.
“The green bag system is relatively easy and we are worried that changing it to a more complicated system might lead to more contamination with people putting things in the wrong sacks.”
The council have set up the scheme as part of the draft Waste Strategy for 2021-25 to reach Welsh Government recycling targets.
They estimate that this pilot will improve the quality of recycling by reducing contamination levels.
But, with only one sack each for paper and plastic every week, some residents worry that they will be filled before the next collection.
Labour Councillor Michael Michael, Cabinet member for Clean Streets, Recycling and Environment, said: “This new pilot scheme, using the three-stream collection method, allows us to look at whether a different type of collection system can increase our recycling rate and reduce the amount of contaminated waste which is currently put out for recycling.”
But some residents have welcomed the trial as a way to improve recycling rates in the city.
Helen Stewart, of Llandaff, said: “I am in favour of the three-stream collection system and have often wondered why Cardiff has not implemented it sooner. It makes perfect sense for recycling to be separated at source.”
There will be a public survey opening in March to allow participants in the trial scheme to give their feedback.
If the pilot goes well, the council will look at implementing the scheme across Cardiff.
To give feedback on the scheme now, you can use the form here or call Connect2Cardiff on 029 2087 2087.
