West Berkshire Council seeks resident feedback on draft Waste Management Strategy

We're inviting residents to have their say on our plans to reduce general waste, increase recycling, improve our kerbside recycling offering, improve our street scene, and lead the way in sustainable practices across the district.

Thanks to your efforts, our recycling rate has risen from 49% to 54% over the last year. However, there's more we can do - 22% of black bin waste is still made up of food waste, with another 20% made up of recyclable material that could be collected at the kerbside. With initiatives like weekly food waste collections, vape and coffee pod recycling, the collection of plastic pots, tubs and trays at the recycling centres, and more mini recycling centres across the district for small electrical items, cartons and textiles, we're on track for even greater improvements.

Our draft Waste Management Strategy outlines a vision for a greener future, including:

• Increasing recycling rates to at least 60% by 2030.
• Cutting residual waste to 120kg per person per year by 2042.
• Helping West Berkshire achieve Net Zero by 2030.
• Keeping West Berkshire a great place to live and work.
• Leading by example for residents and businesses.

Key themes in the draft strategy include:

• Reducing waste and boosting recycling.
• Improving the appearance of our streets including town and village centres.
• Leading the way in sustainable waste practices.

We're exploring several options to improve waste management, increase recycling rates, and reduce our carbon footprint, through the draft Waste Management Strategy, with some of the actions under review including:

• Changing black bin waste collection frequency.
• Reviewing household waste containers.
• Expanding the range of items we recycle.
• Boosting education on waste minimisation, especially in schools.
• Stepping up efforts to tackle littering and fly-tipping.

Cllr Stuart Gourley, Executive Member for Environment and Highways at West Berkshire Council, said:

"We are really excited to get your views on our draft Waste Management Strategy. This plan sets out our strategy and vision for a more sustainable future in how we manage our waste and resources and how we continue to improve our recycling services up until 2032."

How to get involved:

To have your say, please complete our draft Waste Management Strategy survey by midnight on 6 November 2024.

Paper copies of the survey are available on request. Please ring: 01635 519 080 or email: recycle@westberks.gov.uk to request a copy. Copies are also available at the Council Office Reception, Market Street Newbury, RG14 5LD during our opening times Mondays - Thursdays 8:30am - 5:00pm and Fridays 8:30am - 4:30pm.

In addition, we are offering drop-in sessions at local libraries where you can talk to a member of the team on the draft Waste Strategy - see details below:

Join us in shaping a sustainable future for West Berkshire.