RECYCLING sites are being surveyed as Public Services attempts to overcome a messy problem. At weekends, some sites are swamped with overflowing bins and recycling.

‘At the moment we’re doing a survey of sites, talking to people using them and seeing how full the bins are,’ said recycling officer Dr Keith Russell.

‘At some stage we need to rationalise the use of these sites and see whether some are being used beyond capacity and some below. But bring banks are the way people recycle, that’s what we have to remember, and the survey will get more information.’

About two-thirds of the sites have already been assessed.

Dr Russell expected the final results in August or September.

The kerbside collection trial in St Peter Port and St Peter’s is ongoing.

Dr Russell used to live in Wolverhampton, where such a system was introduced about two years ago.

‘I’m a keen recycler and I had the facilities to do it – it was collected from my doorstep. Here it’s different and I have to take it to the bring bank. But Guernsey is different from Wolverhampton in terms of population – different systems work in different areas. People I have spoken to at the bring banks were happy with how it’s working and recycling figures suggest it is.’

At the beginning of the year, the States backed a 50% recycling target to be hit by 2010 – the current figure is just above 30%.

‘Increasing from 30% to 50% is going to be a challenging thing to do over such a short time.’

Dr Russell compared it with being a sportsman in that you get to a certain level but then have to put in so much more effort to reach the top.

It was for the Public Services board to decide what initiatives to bring forward, he said.

‘I think there’s some progress to be made yet. Things will happen, but it will take time. I’ve only been here a week and haven’t yet spoken to the Environment Department, which was on the case last year. The target is achievable, but it will take extra work.’

Dr Russell also plans to meet people in the commercial sectors to find out what can be done to increase their rates of recycling.

‘Recycling initiatives will come, but at the moment we don’t know where we’re going to move to.’

Public Services meets as the waste disposal authority on Thursday and the douzaines will be represented.