Your rubbish questions answered

Given the amount of concern and anger which your proposals have generated, why have you refused to pilot the scheme in one area of the city first? And why, after you told me in January that you would research alternatives to green bins, did you not do so?

Ann Petherick, Scarcroft Hill, York

York faces huge penalties in terms of landfill tax and fines if it does not significantly reduce the amount of biodegradable waste residents send to landfill. These have been introduced this year, and we have adopted a system used by more than 150 councils nationally in order to meet those targets.

With so many local authorities across the country successfully running similar schemes, we were satisfied the concept had already been widely tested in a variety of situations.

We did consider a range of options, but felt the introduction of a fortnightly garden waste and recycling collection alternated with a fortnightly collection from the grey bin was the most appropriate way to reduce the amount of biodegradable waste being sent to landfill sites and encourage people to reduce their rubbish.

The council must live within its budget and act to avoid future penalty fines.

How much has the changeover cost and was this taken into account when the 2005/2006 budget was agreed? If not, where is the money coming from? How much is it estimated will be saved next financial year? Will any savings be reflected in council tax bills, and if so will they be clearly indicated on our notifications?

Alan Rowntree, Walmer Carr, Wigginton, York

The council budget for 2005/06 was set in February this year, and included a one-off £128,000 to cover the set-up costs for the green waste collection scheme, and £100,000 per year to pay off the costs of buying 60,000 green bins.

In the next financial year, 2006/07, the council looks like avoiding £400,000 in fines, which would otherwise go to central government. We are given exact instructions from central government on how we present the council tax bills, and therefore we will not be able to show on those the cost benefits. However, in a future edition of Your City there will be a clear indication as to how much landfill tax and fines the new system is saving the residents of York.

How are people who do not have a car, and do not live near the supermarket or household waste recycling sites for plastic and cardboard, expected to reduce their rubbish?

Mrs Christine Wood, Danum Drive, Fulford, York

The council is introducing plastics on the kerbside collections next year to make it even easier for people to recycle. Even those who don't live near supermarkets tend to visit them to do their shopping, so could drop empties off when they go to do their shopping. In addition to this, residents could think about composting kitchen waste and card, and can ask for additional kerbside recycling bags and boxes if they wish.

It is also possible to reduce waste in the first place by refusing carrier bags at the supermarket and avoiding over-packaged items.

Which recycling schemes by other councils did you look at before imposing the changes on York residents? Could you give us examples of councils which run exactly the same scheme as proposed for York (ie garden and household bins collected on alternate weeks, kerbside recycling of glass and paper only) and made a success of it?

Chris Titley, Evening Press

Many councils have introduced the alternate scheme using mini-recyling centres in their areas, rather than having a kerbside collection scheme for glass, cans and paper.

I think you may have missed out 'cans' from your question, which we do collect from all areas with a green box in York. Other authorities with a kerbside collection, and alternate weekly collection include Ryedale, Chesterfield (although it does collect textiles as well) and Fylde Borough Council.

Is the council prepared for 60,000 people visiting the skips at the weekends to recycle cardboard and plastic? Why don't they introduce a bin for other recyclable material? Will they investigate the excess packaging produced by supermarkets?

Robin Duckworth, Almond Grove, New Earswick, York

City of York Council's Trading Standards Service is urging residents to report concerns about overly-packaged products as part of the drive to reduce the amount of waste we produce. Anyone wishing to report products can email the waste strategy team at recycling.team@york.gov.uk or telephone Consumer Direct on 08454 040506. Wherever possible, Trading Standards is asking people to keep both the product and packaging available for officers to examine. If this is not possible, Trading Standards are asking residents to keep what they can and make a note of the product name, size and the name/address of the packer (if there is one on the label) to assist officers in following up the complaints.

Many materials can be recycled at the council's Household Waste Recycling Centres at Towthorpe, Beckfield Lane and Foss Islands - not only plastics and cardboard. Recently fluorescent tubes have been added to the list of materials that can be taken, and we shall continue to add more.

As mentioned above, we will be adding plastics to the kerbside collection next year and are always looking for ways to further improve the service we provide.

When the grey wheelie bins are emptied fortnightly, will the contents of the bin be checked before it is emptied into the dustcart? If the wrong rubbish is in the grey bin, will it be taken out and left to one side, or will it be put back into the bin, after it has been emptied? My concern is that if the rubbish is left loose on the floor, it could be blown about.

Peter Stamp, Riverside Close, Elvington, York

The council's refuse collection teams will not take away rubbish if it is not presented in the appropriate container and this includes bins that have been contaminated with the wrong type of waste. Any loads that are collected and found to be contaminated can be traced back to the area that they came from. Council employees will then visit householders in the affected area to offer advice about how to use their green bin and help them to ensure that there is space inside their regular rubbish bin for the remainder of their waste. Garden waste that has been contaminated by other rubbish would have to be sent to a landfill site instead of being composted, which means that the efforts of all those people who have carefully separated their rubbish would be in vain.

My family and I have struggled to find out which plastics can and cannot be recycled. The article in the Evening Press referred to "plastic milk and soft drink bottles". What about detergent bottles: Fairy Liquid, Lenor etc? Should we be looking out for a particular symbol on the base of the container?

Steve Botham, Sandy Lane, Stockton on the Forest, York

The plastic banks will take bottles of any sort, as generally these are made from the types of plastic that can easily be recycled into new products. We are asking that the bottle tops are taken off, as usually they are made from different types of plastic and can cause problems when the plastic bottles are baled up for transport as they can fly out suddenly if the bottle top is left on while a batch is being compressed.

If cardboard etc. can be composted as the article says, why cannot this also be put in the green bin? The leaflet said food was prohibited by the tip licence following the outbreak of foot and mouth disease. But cardboard is inert and will go back to nature.

Mervyn Hoyland, White House Drive, York

We have to work with the companies that take our waste, and in nearby local authority areas where cardboard was accepted in the green bins there were too many instances of food (especially pizza) being included in the green bin with the cardboard. The site where the green waste is composted is not licensed to accept any food waste within this waste management process.

Under the new rules, how does one dispose of cooking oil and fat? What is the alternative to dispose of food if you have no room in the garden for a compost bin?

Mrs E T Fletcher, Boroughbridge Road, York

Cooking oil and fat should be placed in a sealed container and put in the grey bin.

I was told the council does not provide or collect recycling boxes from flats. Is this the policy for all flats and apartments?

T Andrews, Holgate Road, York

A limited kerbside recycling service is provided at flats in York.

During winter, the Recycling Promoters will work with residents to come up with schemes so that we can reach these properties.

:: Andrew Waller is the executive member for environment and sustainability on City of York Council

Updated: 10:16 Tuesday, October 04, 2005