Set in the heart of rural Lincolnshire, North Kesteven is the only area in the country to recycle over 50 per cent of its waste. Figures for 2005/06 show that 51.5 per cent of waste was recycled in the district – beating a target of 18 per cent by a large margin – and equating to over 22,000 tonnes of waste diverted from landfill.

Operating a triple-bin, alternate week collection, the council believes its success is both down to the enthusiasm of residents and the simple system in place across the district’s 44,400 households. Councillor Mrs Marion Brighton, OBE, Leader of North Kesteven District Council said of the authority’s position: “Recycling over half of our waste means that a lot less rubbish goes to landfill. This is good for the environment and helps the district council to save money. Being top of the national league table is a big achievement for North Kesteven.

“Recycling is very much a hot topic at the moment. Our residents have taken it to heart and demonstrated that recycling can be easy, effective and incredibly successful.”

Since 2001, the council has gradually improved recycling schemes for its residents. It started with a box scheme, but quickly progressed to a 240-litre wheeled bin for recycling paper, cans, cardboard, textiles and plastic due to the apparent ease of use.

The effects were immediate, resulting in a 16.1 per cent recycling rate for the district in 2002/03. It was at this point that the council realised its residents’ enthusiasm for recycling. Fortnightly, rather than monthly, collections of the recycling bin were being asked for, so this was duly implemented in April 2003. The recycling rate then increased to just over 20 per cent.

In August 2004, the decision was taken to move to an alternate weekly collection for household waste to match that of the recycling bin. At the same time, a third brown wheelie bin was introduced for garden waste. This had a significant effect on the recycling rate, causing it to grow to an impressive 39.2 per cent for 2004/05.

At first, glass and grass were being collected in the same bin, to be processed into second-grade compost. However, when the recycling contractor informed the council that there was an opportunity to include glass with dry recyclables, the system was quickly changed, and the quality of the compost greatly improved.

“Technological changes happen every day,” explains Nina Camm, North Kesteven District Council’s Environment Manager. “One advantage of working with the private sector is that they monitor these changes. We introduced glass and grass in August 2004 on the advice of the private MRF. However, through advances in technology, by 1 April 2006 we could begin to process the glass with the mixed recyclables.” Today, 98 per cent of North Kesteven properties have access to the three-wheeled bin system, be it their own three bins or communal areas in flats. The two per cent (mainly rural properties) that cannot be reached for the garden waste service have, instead, been offered a free home compost bin.

Speaking about the council’s achievement, Councillor Dennis Roberts, Executive Board Member with responsibility for the environment, said: “One of the keys to this success is the simplicity of the system. All household items that are suitable for recycling go in the same bin – this means that householders do not need to sort them into different bags or boxes. This success is thanks to working in partnership with the private sector, particularly Mid UK Recycling, Ltd.

“We will continue to build on this success and help our residents to recycle more and more, while making sure that less waste goes to landfill.”

In the coming year, North Kesteven District Council is planning to focus on areas in the district with low recycling rates. “Knowing your area is very important,” says Camm. “The residents of the district have done very well, now it’s a case of maintaining that consistency.”