PLANS to change from black boxes to recycling sacks will be considered at an urgent executive meeting this month.
Originally planned for Thursday, September 24, the recycling debate has been moved forward to Friday, September 11.
The council’s executive committee will assess the proposal to replace the black boxes with the sealable, weighted bags to address the wet paper and card problem.
Last year, changes in the European recycling market meant that wet paper and card were no longer accepted.
And the switch to waterproof recycling bags may help keep more recycling dry.
In July, the council’s executive agreed to set aside funding for the purchase of the waterproof recycling bags.
The decision was called-in due to concerns over the decision making process, and potential breaches of the constitution.
It was reviewed by the overview and scrutiny committee who agreed to uphold the decision, with six votes for and five votes against.
Next week, the executive will be presented with more information about the plan, including potential timelines for rollout — if agreed.
Cllr Parry Batth, executive member for environment, said: “We’ve been working on a solution to the wet paper and card problem since the issue first emerged at the end of last year.
“We hired independent consultants to look at all the options available to us to ensure we made the right decision for our residents. We know how important recycling is to them.
“We are an ambitious council – we want to get to a 70% recycling rate by 2030, something no other council in the country has done yet. Solving the wet paper problem is an important piece of that puzzle. We can’t reach our target without first getting over this hurdle.”
He added: “The proposed change has the benefit of solving the wet paper problem and having a minimal impact on our residents, allowing them to keep the great recycling and waste collection services they expect.
“Now is the time for the council’s executive to look clearly at the issue and make a decision on it.
“Originally we were going to discuss this at the Thursday, September 24, executive meeting but we’ve brought it forward due to the urgency of the wet paper problem.”
