People in Cherwell can now recycle glass waste more easily, as the district council has changed waste and recycling collections to allow glass bottles and jars to be placed in blue bins.
The change in policy ends more than 30 years of bring-bank glass recycling only, marking a major step forward in making recycling glass easier and more accessible.
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Councillor Ian Middleton, portfolio holder for neighbourhood services at Cherwell District Council, said: “I’m delighted to confirm that residents can now recycle glass from the comfort of their own home.
“This change provides further convenience and clarity on recycling, directly responding to what residents have told us they want to see.
Changes to glass recycling in Cherwell have come into force today
“On average, a UK household uses 500 glass bottles and jars a year, so our new kerbside collection service provides everyone with an easy and efficient way to improve their recycling habits.
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“With many people celebrating during the festive break and toasting the start of a new year, this is the perfect time for us to launch this new service.
“From now on, all residents need to do is place empty glass bottles and jars into their blue recycling bin and they will be collected by our crews for processing along with their other recycling.”
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The new glass collection service is expected to increase the district’s overall recycling rate by up to 1.5 per cent, adding between 500 and 700 tonnes of glass to the recycling stream each year, according to the council.
Glass waste will be taken to a sorting centre and separated from other dry recyclables and then into different coloured glass for further processing.
The decision to change Cherwell’s waste collection was made by the cabinet on November 4, and brings the council service in line with the government’s new ‘simpler recycling’ legislation.