Rubbish collections to become fortnightly

It has emerged that a new kerbside refuse service to be introduced in Montgomeryshire this summer will see weekly rubbish collections reduced to fortnightly throughout the area.

Earlier this month Powys County Council revealed plans to expand an existing refuse scheme undertaken in south Powys into Montgomeryshire which will see all households introduced to a new recycling collection service. But it has emerged that while this collection remains weekly, rubbish bags will only be collected every fortnight.

Similar plans introduced in England resulted in widespread complaints and rubbish being left out over longer periods by some residents. The Westminster government has even said it doesn't believe forthnightly collections are the best way forward.

Powys County Council says the move will help it to reduce landfill by getting more people to recycle waste instead of binning it. The decision to target the more populous areas of the county was made following a Cabinet meeting at the start of the month. It believes it will give the council the best chance of achieving its statutory target of recycling 52 per cent of the waste generated in Powys by 2012/13 as set by the Welsh Government.

"Recycling collections will be undertaken weekly and refuse will be collected on alternate weeks. This is partly to try and encourage people to recycle more often, but also to cut down on emissions as we use separate vehicles to collect refuse," said a council spokesman.

The council said that having seen the scheme work successfully in Brecknockshire last year, residents in Montgomeryshire will be given a set of recycling containers and guidance on how to reduce the amount of refuse they send to landfill sites, which could commence as early as the summer.

This method has seen rates in Ystradgynlais increase by 150%, and in the first week of the new collections in Brecon the amount of residual waste going into landfill sites was halved. It will also be implemented in Radnorshire from February.

The council will also continue to work with third-party organisations such as Cae Post and Cwm Harry who currently undertake their own recycling collections in Montgomeryshire.

By reaching the targets, the council would avoid substantial financial penalties as well as reduce the amount it spends on gate fees to tip its residual waste

Councillor Ken Harris, Powys County Council’s Cabinet member for Waste said: “If we fail to act responsibly and reduce the amount of waste going to landfill dramatically, we will be fined heavily.

“We intend to ensure that Powys council is not fined, which is why we are putting so much effort into increasing recycling in all parts of the county.

“Currently we recycle 38% of waste in the county. If we fail to reach the 52% target we will be fined approximately £2.7 million which far outweighs the cost of implementing this scheme, which will have to be met by council taxpayers.”