What is the Organics Pilot Scheme?

Over recent months the District Council has looked at a variety of waste collection schemes and best practice in waste collection and recycling from across the Country. The District Councillors believe that the scheme they have selected is the most cost effective and suitable for North Dorset.

The wheeled bin pilot scheme is being introduced to 6000 homes in Gillingham and the surrounding area in March 2006.

Each property on the pilot scheme will receive:-

1. A brown 140 litre wheeled bin*
2. A blue 140 litre wheeled bin
3. A kitchen caddy

*Alternative arrangements have been made for some properties

The brown bin is for all cooked and uncooked food waste and cardboard, and the bin will be emptied every week.

The blue bin is for all non-recyclable and non-compostable household rubbish, it will be emptied every fortnight.

The green box recycling collections will continue as normal.

What is a kitchen caddy?

The kitchen caddy is a small 7 litre container which can be placed in a convenient place in your kitchen to help you sort food waste from waste to be sent to landfill. When the caddy is full, empty the contents into the brown wheeled bin (or 25 litre container). The food waste can be wrapped in newspaper to help keep the bin clean.

Why collect food waste?

Every year, the Dorset authorities carry out a 'waste analysis' -finding out what people put out for rubbish collection. Kitchen food waste and cardboard made up the largest fraction - a massive 36% of all rubbish. In order to recycle as much as possible and to direct biodegradable waste away from landfill, it makes good sense to target this plentiful material - hence the new food waste and cardboard collection service.

Why wheeled bins?

Wheeled bins are now a common and modern method of collecting refuse, and have been introduced in may parts of England, including the Dorset authorities of Poole, Bournemouth, East Dorset and Weymouth & Portland.

The benefits of wheeled bins include the reduction in injuries to waste collection operatives as a result of not picking up bags which contain sharp or dangerous objects. Additionally there is a reduction in litter as the containers will stop cats, foxes etc, from ripping the bags open.

Collections

On collection day the wheeled bin (or 25 litre container) should be placed on the kerbside at the nearest point of the adopted highway, or at a point as instructed by North Dorset District Council.

Bins must be presented by 7.00am on the day of collection with handles facing towards the road.

Once the wheeled bins have been emptied they should be removed from the pavement at the earliest possible opportunity.