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Surrey
Heath Borough Council Surrey Police Woking Area
Primary Care Trust Surrey County
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NEWS
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Garden waste recycling with the Green Waste Club
Surrey Heath Borough Council has teamed up with municipal services contractor, Verdant Group, to introduce a more efficient scheme for collecting and recycling garden waste in the Borough. It will replace the current plastic sacks for green waste.
The initiative follows increasing pressure from Government and the EU to increase recycling and reduce the amount of waste going to landfill.
Councils that do not meet their proposed recycling targets face tough financial penalties that could affect the council tax paid by local people.
New Green Waste Club
Surrey Heath's response has been to support the introduction of a new Green Waste Club, which will be run by Verdant whose team is currently planning the fortnightly collection service. It is similar to the successful Verdant-operated Green Waste Club scheme in the Arun District Council area where around 100 tonnes of green waste are collected for recycling each week. Participating residents will receive a brown wheelie bin in which they can collect grass clippings, leaves and small prunings.
Surrey Heath Borough Council's Head of Environmental Services, Tim Pashen, said: "I have every confidence that Verdant's new Green Waste Club will contribute significantly to meeting the Council's recycling targets. Verdant runs a number of similar schemes with great success and I have no doubt that Surrey Heath's scheme will prove equally popular.
"I am particularly keen to support the change to a new wheelie bin collection service because many of our residents say that they find it difficult to lift the heavy sacks when they are full. Using wheelie bins will also reduce the risk of injury to refuse crews.
"Although the Garden Waste Club will be run by Verdant, rather than the Council, we will still be on hand to answer any questions or help with any problems. But it will be quicker and easier if residents deal directly with Verdant."
The Council's Portfolio Holder for Economy and the Environment, Cllr Pat Pearce, said: "The Council's performance indicators show that there are high levels of public satisfaction with recycling and street cleansing in the Borough. We have recently signed up to the Surrey-wide 'Love where you Live' campaign, which is designed to raise awareness of the many initiatives being carried out to maintain these high levels. The introduction of a new and improved collection method for garden waste in Surrey Heath demonstrates our determination to remain among the top performing Councils in Surrey."
Joining the Club
Membership of Verdant's Green Waste Club costs £50 plus VAT for the first 12 calendar months. There is also a one-off wheelie bin delivery charge of £13.22. This works out at only £1.13 for each week of the year.
Customers can save money by signing for a two or three year membership. A two-year membership costs £117.50 plus a reduced wheelie bin delivery charge of £6.61. Joining for three years until August 2009 costs £176.25, and the wheelie bin is delivered free. Payment is by credit or debit card.
Residents who produce only a small amount of garden waste, can choose to join the club with a friend or neighbour and share a wheelie bin - and the costs!
Roger Edwards, Verdant's Development Director, commented: "We are delighted to be working in partnership with Surrey Heath to introduce the Green Waste Club scheme. Our experience in Arun and other areas will be well-used in implementing and operating the new scheme. We appreciate that residents may take a little time to get used to it, and are on hand to answer any questions and give advice.
"Collecting and recycling green waste makes a significant difference to recycling rates and a greener environment. Everyone has a valuable part to play and we are sure the residents of Surrey Heath will soon be enthusiastic supporters of the scheme."
The Council's garden sack scheme will be phased out after 4th September 2006 when the new wheelie bin scheme starts. Customers who still have a stack of plastic garden sacks can continue to use them until March 2007 as Verdant will continue collecting them every fortnight until March next year.
To find out more, or join the Green Waste Club, call Verdant on 0800 3890724 or visit their website at www.greenwasteclub.co.uk and follow the Surrey Heath links.
Full details of domestic refuse
and recycling collection times will be sent to all householders in Surrey
Heath in the second half of August. For more information, call the Council's
Contact Centre on 01276 707100.
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