Recycling In Action

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Poole

Local authority: Poole Borough Council (Unitary), Dorset
Area profile: Urban and suburban
Area: 6,475 hectares
Population: 141,221
Waste management contract: In-house Refuse and Cleansing Section
Recycling subcontractor: In-house Refuse and Cleansing Section
Recycling rate: (1990/2000) 26%

Collection methods

The Kerbside Recycling Scheme was set up as a pilot in 1996 and now covers 41,500 households (there are a total of 61,000). The scheme is likely to be extended to all properties. The Borough of Poole provides a black box in which residents place newspaper and magazines, cans (steel and aluminium) and plastic bottles. The boxes are collected every fortnight.
Poole has 72 bring sites where glass, mixed cans, newspaper, magazines, textiles, shoes, books, plastics, aluminium foil can all be recycled. During 1999/2000 1,361 tonnes of glass, 38 tonnes of cans, 1156 tonnes of newspaper and magazines, 79 tonnes of textiles and 91 tonnes of plastic were recycled through bring sites.
Nuffield Civic Amenity Site aims to achieve a high level of recycling and reuse. It has a full range of recycling banks, and includes a facility for recycling car batteries and oil. Garden waste is separated for composting and the resulting Eco-mix compost and mulch can be purchased on site.
Kerbside. Newspaper and magazines, cans (mixed) and plastics are collected and then taken to the Materials

Material Collected (Kerbside)	Destination
Newspaper and magazines	Shotton, North Wales
Cans	Alcan, Uxbridge
Plastics	Reprise, St Helens, Merseyside

Material Collected (Bring Site)	Destination	Tonnes recycled 1999/2000
Textiles, shoes and books	Oxfam	79
Waste engine oil	ORCOL
Cans (mixed)	Collected by Perrys, taken to Corus, Wales	38
Glass	Knortingly, Yorkshire	1361
Newspaper and magazines	Collected by Perrys , taken to Aylesford, Kent	1156
Plastics	Collected by SITA taken to Reprise, St Helens, Merseyside
Aluminium foil	Collected and bailed by Fourways/Lodge Hill day centres, taken to Tame Valley Alloys, Staffordshire.
Garden waste	ECO composting, Hurn	8,886

Other Initiatives

Aluminium Foil Recycling Scheme

The Borough of Poole, Bournemouth Borough Council, East Dorset District Council and Purbeck District Council are working in partnership with the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro), Lodge Hill and Fourways Day Centres to recycle aluminium foil. There are 29 banks where aluminium foil can be taken, it is then collected and taken to Fourways Day Centre where it is sorted, baled and then sold. Any money raised through the sale of the foil is used to fund the scheme; additional money is put into an amenity fund for the day centres. In the future workers will receive therapeutic earnings for their labour. The Aluminium Foil Recycling Scheme is looking to obtain funding for a full-time position so that one person is responsible for the running and development of the scheme. At present the work is split between several people. The scheme hopes to obtain larger premises as it is only scratching the surface of foil collection in the area.

The Green Exchange

Poole Council has set-up an advertising board for recyclable items to encourage re-use. The scheme works on the basis that while you may not want empty yoghurt cartons a playgroup might. People can advertise both 'available' and 'wanted' items on a noticeboard for free. There are nine noticeboards located within the Borough as well as an online version on the council's web site.

Christmas Tree Recycling

During January and February three sites are set up for the collection of Christmas trees. They are then chipped and used as mulch.

Yellow Pages

During November and December when new editions come out, three sites are set up for the collection of old Yellow Pages. In the last two years, 20 tonnes of Yellow Pages have been collected and shredded to make cardboard.

Compost and Waterbutt Sale

In May 1999 and 2000 the council held a one-day compost bin and waterbutt sale. They sold 1,400 composters and 3,000 waterbutts in 1999 and 819 composters and 423 waterbutts in 2000.

Computer Recycling

In March 1999, Poole Energy Advice Centre launched a computer recycling scheme in partnership with Computers For Charity. Computers are refurbished and cleared of all data and sold on to voluntary groups, charities, disabled people and individuals that are in receipt of income-related benefits. Anyone purchasing a computer from the scheme will receive on-going support at the end of the phone.

Charity

Charity recycling collections amassed 122 tonnes of textiles in 1999/2000.

Keys to Success

Louise Lowans, Poole recycling officer believes that high rates have been achieved because of: "the diversity of the recycling facilities that we offer, kerbside, bring sites CA site and the cooperation of the local residents which has been built up through awareness raising campaigns".

Income

Income is generated from the sale of glass and textiles.

Education

The council works in conjunction with Dorset Health Works - who have implemented a scheme for all schools in Dorset called 'Health Promoting Schools' which covers waste minimisation and recycling.
Waste minimisation is promoted by the local newspaper.
A waste minimisation awareness campaign called 'Wastewatchers' has been set up.

Future

Poole is looking at expanding its kerbside collection to recover green waste and glass and hopes to recover 33 per cent of its waste by 2003.

Contact

Louise Lowans
Recycling Officer
Borough of Poole
Consumer Protection Services
Unit 1
Newfields Business Park
Stinsford Road
Poole
BH17 0NF°

Tel: 01202 261700
Fax: 01202 261717
Email: l.lowans@poole.gov.uk