York's new recycling bins unveiled - what people are being urged to do
The new recycling wheelie bins set to be rolled out in York (Image: Gareth Buddo)
NEW wheelie bins for recycling have been unveiled ahead of their roll out to thousands of York homes.
Around 63,000 households are set to receive two 180L wheelie bins, one for paper and card and another for glass, tins and plastic, next year under City of York Council's roll out.
Cllr Jenny Kent, the council's Labour environment spokesperson, said the new bins would be easier and more convenient than the boxes households currently use.
She added people who felt they would need larger bins should contact the council as soon as possible.
It comes after the council's plans for the new bins were approved on Wednesday, September 9.
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The two bins are set to be collected once every four weeks in a two-week alternating cycle.
General waste would be collected in the first and third weeks, with paper and card taken away in the second and all other recycling in the fourth.
Bins are set to be rolled out from next summer and into the autumn.
Homes which received black general waste wheelie bins through a council roll out last year will be out of scope during next year's roll out.
Those who use communal bins and have their recycling collected by St Nick's will also not be included.
Officials have committed to rolling out bins to 10,000 more households, mostly in terraced streets, by 2030 and further work is planned on them.
The council is now taking requests from households who need larger 240L bins.
Households have until Friday, October 30 to make requests and can do so here: www.york.gov.uk/recyclingreview.
Help over the phone can be requested by calling: 01904 551 551.
Most of York's current recycling boxes are set to be ditched for bins (Image: City of York Council)
Those who do not need a larger bin do not need to take any further action.
Council officials have said the changes would make collections more efficient and recycling easier, with homes who now have three moves set to see capacity increase.
The roll out is set to cost an estimated £2.8 million.
Costs are set to be recouped in the coming years with the moves expected to result in long-term savings.
The proposals come as the council looks to save £520,000 from its waste collection services over the next two years.
They also come ahead of requirements for soft plastics to be collected from kerbsides by March next year.
Cllr Kent said officials wanted to make sure the new bins would work well for everyone ahead of next year's roll out.
The executive member said: "York residents have told us they want recycling to be easier and more convenient and want to see an end to street litter that is blown out of the boxes.
"For most homes, two standard 180-litre recycling bins will provide good recycling capacity and will offer greater capacity than the existing service.
"However, we know some households may need larger bins as they recycle more for different reasons. If this is you, please let us know as soon as possible."
At the council's executive meeting on Wednesday, September 9, opposition Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Nigel Ayre said replacing boxes with bins had previously been explored and rejected.
He also questioned the financial details of the proposals and said collecting extra recycling such as large boxes from the kerbside on an ad hoc basis would be unworkable.
The opposition leader said: "It's difficult to understand what the point of this whole exercise now is.
"People who currently have three boxes will get an extra 30 litres of capacity a month, those with four boxes will have less capacity.
"The proposals are a mess."