AN OFFER from Mayside Recycling to operate a trial kerbside collection scheme at its own cost looks unlikely to be taken up. If approved, it would have meant that paper, cardboard and plastic would have been collected from a chosen area over a three-month period.
It would have enabled an accurate evaluation of kerbside collections to be made, but it appears that no formal offer has ever been made to the Environment Department.
‘The current draft of the waste management plan, which is being considered by the Environment Department, includes provision for such a trial along with numerous other waste minimisation and recycling initiatives,’ said department chief officer Steve Smith.
‘The department hopes to be able to provide a far more comprehensive statement on its proposals in respect of waste management in the very near future.’
The first that the department knew about Mayside’s offer was through the front page of the Guernsey Press.
‘An offer of that nature has not been formally made to us. In the light of what was in the Guernsey Press, we did contact Brian Perry [of Mayside’s parent company] to ask him exactly what was intended,’ said Mr Smith.
‘As a result of that decision, it became apparent that what on face value might have been a trial totally free of charge, commitment by the States was in fact likely to involve the States in a partnership approach, providing vehicles, staff, processing facilities and export arrangements as well as possibly subsidising some of the other costs.
‘The discussions have not developed further and Mayside have not formally offered to run a trial at no cost to the States.’
The former Board of Administration some years ago recognised the need to carry out a trial of kerbside collections of recyclables.
‘We have had a long and productive working relationship with Mayside and I feel sure that that goodwill will continue in the future,’ said Mr Smith.
Mayside company director Tommy Duquemin said that the former board did receive a letter last year stating that Mayside would be prepared to take some of its members to the UK to show them how the different recycling facilities and methods operated.
Another similar offer was made to the department in June this year which would have included looking at co-mingle and source separation.
The company was willing to show it a source-separated kerbside operation in Bodmin, Cornwall, which has a very high recycling rate and is a similar location to St Peter Port.
‘We can’t just set up a kerbside scheme without the States and other people being involved,’ said Mr Duquemin.
‘Everything comes at a cost and the public is very interested in such a scheme.’
He added that the company had recently ordered six new large and some other smaller paper bank bins for private sites to add to its 40 already in the island.
‘They are running very successfully and we are looking to try and get some more sites.’
Article posted on 7th August, 2004 - 12.00am
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