South Gloucestershire: Fewer bin collections being considered

Black bin collections in South Gloucestershire currently take place every two weeks

Households could see fewer bin collections as a council looks to focus more on recycling.

A consultation has been launched by South Gloucestershire Council on possible changes to its recycling and waste collection services.

An option being considered is reducing how often black bins are picked up - although there are no specific details on the plans.

Currently they are collected every two weeks and recycling once a week.

The council said about a third of what people are putting in their black bins are plastics - which could be recycled.

South Gloucestershire residents already recycle 60% of their waste - the second highest rate in the country among unitary authorities

There is currently a trial involving about 2,000 homes in South Gloucestershire collecting soft plastics at the kerbside.

The council said this is helping residents recycle easier with households putting significantly less material in their black bins.

The trial could be expanded by 25% within the next year, before being rolled out across the district in 2025, the council said.

Cabinet member for waste and recycling services, Leigh Ingham, said: "People in South Gloucestershire have shown that they are keen to recycle as much as they can and with the right changes, we can help them do that.

"These proposals through the consultation could help more people recycle more and reduce the cost of the service and help the environment.

"We want to hear from local people now so that we can make sure that any changes we make to the service work for them."

The consultation process will be open for comments until early January 2024.

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