Issue - meetings

A member of the public asked what happens to the food, garden and recyclable waste collected from doorsteps in the City.  The Cabinet Member for Environment replied that food waste is taken to an anaerobic digestion facility where it is converted to biogas for energy generation.  He stated that garden waste is taken to be composted in a special area at the Hempsted Recycling Centre to fertilise the topsoil on the former landfill site.  The Cabinet Member for Environment noted that later in the year 10,000 trees will be planted in the soil on this site to become biomass to generate green energy.  For recycled waste, including paper and glass, he reported that this went to various facilities in the UK to be processed for re-use in contrast to two years ago when it was sent overseas.

The member of the public referred to new public bins in Eastgate Street each partitioned for general and recyclable waste.  They enquired if there were plans to introduce these bins in other areas such as Gloucester Park.  The Cabinet Member for Environment affirmed that the number of recycling bins across the City was increasing despite problems in the past with people mixing general and recyclable waste.  He further advised that later in the year a strategy would be introduced to increase the opportunities for recycling and address local needs, a strategy that could be summed up as `right bin in the right place’.