Next week, Darlington Council’s Cabinet will look at proposals to introduce a new type of technology called Mechanical Biological Treatment, which speeds up waste decomposition and makes it easier to take out recyclable material from general waste.

This means, if the plans are approved, residents will be able to put tins and plastic in their black bin bags with the rest of the rubbish and they will still be recycled.

Green boxes will still be used to collect paper and glass, and, for the first time, cardboard will also be able to be recycled.

The new system will mean recycling rates, currently at 22 per cent, will increase to more than 50 per cent and any landfill will be treated so it can decompose more quickly.

The proposals form part of a new 11-year-contract with Aycliffe-based John Wade Group which will start in April next year.

Nick Wallis, Darlington Council’s Cabinet Member for Sustainable Environment and Climate Change, said: “On one level there won’t be a great deal of change – we are still going to have weekly collections of black bags and fortnightly collections of the green boxes.

“The difference will be the new process which really turns the black bag into another recycling collection box. The waste collector will be able to take out the cans, for example, by a big magnet so all that will go into the green bins will be glass, will be paper and cardboard too.

“I have been listening to what residents have been saying over the last few years and they really want us to recycle cardboard.
The new system means, if the plans are approved, we can recycle cardboard from next April.”

The new process fits into the Council’s Making Waste Work initiative which aims to encourage everyone to think about the waste they produce and reduce, reuse and recycle as much as possible.

The Cabinet meeting is on Tuesday July 8 and any changes, if approved, would not come into force until after April 2009.

To see an interview with Coun Wallis click here.