Households in Stone will be receiving their new blue bag for paper and cardboard from this week in a move to improve the quality of recycling and ensure it stays in the UK for processing.
Currently, cardboard goes in the mixed recycling blue bin and can often be contaminated by other materials – such as glass or residue from tins – which reduces its quality. The reusable bag system is already used widely throughout neighbouring Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin.
Letters were sent to all homes in February explaining the change and included a series of answers to questions that have been asked about using the reusable bag.
The new bags are being delivered by bin crews from this week and residents can start using them immediately. The bags will be collected on the normal blue bin day from 30th March 2020.
The blue bin will still be used for tins, plastics and glass. A leaflet will be delivered with the blue bag detailing what can and cannot be recycled in the blue bag and blue bin. In addition, a comprehensive list of will soon be available on the council’s website and the details will also be included in the new recycling and waste collection calendar which will be sent out next month.
Councillor Jonathan Price, the Cabinet Member for Environment at the Borough Council, said the blue bag introduction was a key element in the authority’s climate change strategy.
“We have received a lot of feedback from residents already about the change. I’m pleased the letter and information on our website are helping answer many of the questions residents have.
“The focus for so many local authorities now is on the quality of recycling and with the introduction of the blue bag, we will give our residents confidence in what happens with the materials we collect from the kerbside.
“The move is a key element of the plans within our climate change strategy and introducing the blue bag will have a positive impact on what we recycle and, importantly, it will ensure the recycling will stay in the UK for processing.”
Approximately 52% is recycled from the household waste collection in the borough.
You can find out more from www.staffordbc.gov.uk/bluebag
