With recycling rates now hovering just short of 50%, Brentwood’s Conservatives are looking at ways to increase yet further the amount of waste which is recycled. At the recent Environment, Housing and Community Panel, Alison Knight of Recyclebank made a presentation about a proposed scheme to incentivise residents to increase their recycling.
Schemes developed with other borough councils across the country have been tailored by Recyclebank and have raised recycling rates to over 60%. These schemes have ranged from weighing all recycled material per household and directly crediting them accordingly, to an ‘honesty box’ system whereby residents would claim from Recyclebank each time they recycle. Residents earn reward vouchers to spend with local businesses, which it is envisaged will be both local traders and high street names so not only do recycling rates increase, local businesses also benefit from the increased promotion of their services.
Chairman of the Panel, Cllr Roger Hirst, is going to be meeting with Recyclebank to devise and cost a tailored scheme which will benefit the Borough and its residents.
Cllr Hirst said, ‘Our residents have worked hard with us to recycle and we are proud of the vast improvement to the recycling rates over the last few years. They clearly care deeply about our environment and the impact we can have upon it. And if we can help local businesses too, that is even better.
‘I look forward to working with Recyclebank to see if we can find a scheme to reward our residents for all their efforts,’ he added.