New Kerbside Collection Arrangements across Rotherham

As part of its programme to improve refuse collection services, Rotherham Borough Council has taken  delivery of the first of a new fleet of vehicles that will support its recycling service.

The new distinctive purple 23-tonne vehicles will allow for all recyclables to be collected at the same time - removing the need for separate collections for glass and cans, textiles and paper.

The new kerbsiders contain four different compartments which keep the materials separate for onward recycling.  Two compartments store the glass and cans, one stores paper and textiles are kept in a compartment on the outside of the vehicle.

Not only has this lead to increased efficiency in terms of collection, but will also make savings in vehicle and fuel costs.

Rotherham's kerbside recycling scheme generates approximately 14,000 tonnes of recyclable materials per year with the recyclable materials being sold to re-processors to help cover the cost of collection.

Glass, cans and textiles are delivered to Beatson Clark in Rotherham, the glass remains on site to be recycled back into new glass bottles and jars and the other materials are sent to be recycled locally.

Paper is taken to KCM Metals and Skip Hire in Rotherham.  The site is used as a transfer station and the paper is bulked there before onward transportation by the Council's waste paper partner Newport Paper Limited to be recycled back into newspapers and magazines.

Rotherham's Cabinet Member for Safe and Attractive Neighbourhoods, Councillor Jahangir Akhtar, said: "Rotherham householders can now expect their recycling containers to be collected by the same vehicle at the same time on each collection and so will experience a much improved service.

Obviously there may be some changes to normal collection times, so householders are asked to have both containers - the blue box and the blue bag - out at the kerbside by 07:00 am."

The new distinctive purple kerbside collection vehicles are part of a new 27 strong fleet of waste management vehicles that will provide more efficient services into the future. The new fleet of six recycling vehicles will replace 14 previous vehicles that collected glass, paper and textiles.