PUBLIC Services has decided to slash its charge to parishes to deal with separated recyclables in an attempt to encourage them to start their own kerbside recycling schemes.
The department made the decision yesterday as it met as the waste disposal authority.
It comes after last month’s vote on a States-run island-wide collection scheme left the concept in limbo.
From July until 30 December 2011, charges to parishes for ‘suitably segregated recyclates’ collected from households and delivered to Fontaine Vinery or Mayside will be reduced from £40 a tonne to £1.
The new pricing structure will be reviewed in the autumn of 2010.
But with the parishes already locked into collection contracts and not set to meet the public again until around November, it would seem unlikely that there will be any sudden rush to start kerbside schemes.
The report to the board was compiled after a request by deputy Public Services minister Scott Ogier (pictured), who had been contacted by officials in the parish he represents, St Sampson’s, about the costs.
Parishioners there recently rejected a kerbside option.
There was some disagreement among members about what to do with the bring banks in the future.
‘The thrust of this paper is to facilitate the parishes to be encouraged to work their own collection system,’ said Public Services member Tom Le Pelley.
‘What happens to bring banks would be as a result of that, so at the moment we keep the status quo.’
Deputy Ogier, a keen supporter of kerbside recycling, questioned whether in the long term more than one or two bring bank sites would be needed if kerbside collection was up and running.
‘If you look at stopping bring banks, you would be making a considerable cost saving to put towards kerbside. I think it’s something we should look at.’
Another member, Deputy Tony Spruce, believed that some sites would still be needed because not everyone would want to store recyclables at home.
The department has written to all the parishes to tell them about the decision.
The August 2010 review was put in place for the board to discuss the charges again, but it could come too early to see any real effect.
‘If parishes want to bring a scheme forward, they need to take it to the parishioners and get a contract. It will be next year until anyone can start,’ said Deputy Spruce.
Article posted on 19th June, 2009 - 2.29pm
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