Recycle+ Service Rolled Out To New Areas Of The County Borough

Neath Port Talbot recycling officers will be hitting the road early next month to introduce more households to their new and improved recycling service: ‘Recycle+’. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Recycle+ is part of the Council’s drive to increase recycling and help hit Welsh Government targets. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Council already provides the Recycle+ service to around 18,000 homes across the county borough, and will shortly be rolling out the service to a further 20,000 homes. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Over the next few weeks the Council will start delivering the Recycle+ kit and households moving to the new service will receive two boxes, two reusable bags, and a bag for household batteries. Attached to the kit, will also be a leaflet explaining the service with pictures showing the bags and boxes, and what goes in them. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Council will also be holding a roadshow in each of the areas affected. The roadshows will explain the service and offer residents the opportunity to speak to Recycling Officers and see the new recycling kit as well as one of the new recycling collection vehicles. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The reusable bags and boxes used as part of Recycle+ will allow the Council to move away from single-use plastic bags. Plastic bags will only be used for the collection of garden waste. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

To enable the expansion of Recycle+ the Council will be using six new specialist recycling collection vehicles which were funded by a grant of £800,000 from Welsh Government. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The vehicles enable a range of materials to be collected in one trip, and in particular allow the Council to offer the weekly collection of plastics. Materials will be sorted at the kerbside and collection crews will be able to reduce any contamination and ensure that high quality recyclable materials are collected. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Council is now also ordering the vehicles for the third and final phase of the Recycle+ roll-out, and anticipates that by the end of next year the improved service will be available to all households across the borough were it is practical to do so. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, Cllr Ali Thomas OBE said: “Recycle+ is playing a big part in helping to ensure that Neath Port Talbot is able to meet its recycling targets and I am glad that more of our residents will now benefit from the service.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Officers from our Recycling team will be on hand at the roadshows and more than willing to answer any queries that residents may have about Recycle+.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​