People in Plympton are going to benefit this summer as part of a plan to improve recycling and composting rates.

A team from the Council will be looking at how people recycle and compost in Plympton Erle, Plympton St. Mary and Plympton Chaddlewood wards. And the team will be asking them what they need to help them to recycle even more.

Councillor Michael Leaves, Cabinet Member for Street Scene, Waste and Sustainability, said: "Recycling has been part of people’s lives for years and over time we have added to the list of materials that can be recycled.

"Experience tells us that people need to be reminded about what they can and can’t recycle. There has also been a lot of house building in this particular area and new residents may not be clear about what can be recycled here.

"By surveying the Plympton wards we can get an idea of recycling levels and then see what we need to do with the residents to keep pushing recycling up.”

The project is being divided into three phases so that the Council can get a realistic picture of where recycling is running smoothly and where it can be improved. For two separate weeks from Monday 15 June and again from Monday 29 June, the team will find out whether green as well as brown bins are being put out and if any recycling bins contain rubbish that can’t be recycled.

In July and August the team will embark on a targeted programme including roadshows, leafleting, promoting home composting and talking on the doorsteps to people in streets with lower recycling levels to make sure they have all the facts and equipment they need to recycle more.

There would then be another survey to see how much impact the education and engagement programme has had on the recycling rates and what areas need more work.

The project aims to get more people recycling and composting as well as increase the understanding of what can and can’t go into recycling bins. If successful, the project will be repeated across the city.

11 June 2009

See Environmental Services and Recycling in Stairway to Devon Directory

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