Witney News - Positive waste and recycling survey results

Positive waste and recycling survey results

West Oxfordshire residents responding to a waste and recycling survey have said that they are making good use of the service and are now recycling much more.

The survey, completed by 1,500 householders, asked about their waste and recycling collections and what they felt worked well and what improvements can be made

It reviewed the service from 2010 when the Council appointed a new contractor and changes included the introduction of food waste and free garden waste collections.

Satisfaction was high with all aspects of the new service, recycling collections scored 90% and household rubbish 94%.

Cllr David Harvey, Cabinet Member for Environment said, “Thank you to everyone who responded to the survey, we are very pleased to receive such a positive report. Since the new service started our recycling rates have already almost doubled, but what is also important is how the service is viewed by residents and what we can do to make it better. The survey report findings are key to helping us plan for the future as well as making any improvements we can straightaway.”

Dry recycling
Most people (98%) said they now recycle more and felt it was important to stop putting waste into landfill as there is a need to save natural resources and protect the environment for future generations.

Residents generally understood the service, but around 15% did not know they could recycle batteries, textiles, shoes, aerosols or tetrapaks.

Items listed as what residents would like to see collected for recycling included polystyrene, electricals and light bulbs.

Food and garden waste
The survey showed a high number using food waste containers (80%), with those not using them tending to compost regularly.

Eighty six per cent had also signed up for free garden waste collections, with over half using it all year round, and a quarter using it frequently during certain seasons.

Household rubbish (landfill)
Almost half are putting a lot less rubbish in their grey wheelie bin. Of the remainder, 29% said they put slightly less rubbish in their wheelie bin and 17% said about the same amount.

For most residents the size of their grey wheelie bin was adequate and they only had excess rubbish at certain times, for example public holidays/birthday parties, etc. Most said they were sending less to landfill since the new service began.

Nearly everyone said they knew that household waste, garden tools, polystyrene and dry recycling could not go in the garden wheelie bin. Only 8% of those surveyed did not know that they cannot put garden waste in their grey wheelie rubbish bin.

Communication
Most people (93%) were using their waste collection calendar. Many did not know they could sign up for email alerts, but the majority of those signed up found them useful.

Over a quarter wanted more information on waste collections and what can and cannot be recycled. Most are kept informed through the Creating Futures council newsletter, waste booklet and council website, www.westoxon.gov.uk,