Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has warned that it may need to remove new mixed plastic recycling banks from the area if it fails to find a new plastic reprocessor to collect and recycle the material.
Nine new mixed plastic recycling banks, which collect pots, tubs and trays (not currently collected through the kerbside service), were installed across the council area in June, but Recresco, the company collecting and processing the plastics, has since informed the council that it can no longer provide this service.
As such, the council is now searching for a new plastic reprocessor to collect and domestically recycle mixed plastics from its new recycling banks. It has specifically highlighted that it does not want to send the material abroad for recycling for ‘environmental’ reasons.
If a suitable company is not found, the banks will be removed from the borough from the week commencing Monday, 29 September.
Cabinet Member for Community Services and the Environment Councillor Hayley Eachus said: “Having finally found a company that collected and processed mixed plastics within the UK, we were keen to get residents to take these items along to their nearest bank instead of putting them in their grey bin.
“It is a huge disappointment that this service may now not continue. We are looking to find a replacement company, but we obviously want to offer this service in the most environmentally friendly way, so we are limited to finding companies that will then process what they collect in the UK and not send it abroad.”
The council currently provides a fortnightly collection for recyclables, which are collected in a green wheelie bin, except for glass, which is collected in a separate box.
Find out more about recycling in Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.
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