Councils: How to double recycling rates
May 28th 2008

Back in 2003, South Derbyshire's residents were only recycling 17.49 per cent but the latest Government figures show that this has now increased to over 36.5 per cent thanks to the simultaneous expansion of a range of kerbside collection schemes and the District's bring bank infrastructure. This puts South Derbyshire District Council well on track to reach the Government target of 40 per cent by 2010.

Smurfit Kappa Recycling has worked in partnership with the council to expand its bring network where residents can recycle their "mixed paper." This includes newspapers and magazines, cardboard, directories, Yellow Pages, envelopes and all other fibrous packaging materials. The company collects at least once a week from 64 igloo containers and seven superbanks, strategically located at 30 key sites across the district. Mixed paper material collected through bring containers rose from 160 tonnes in 2003/4 to 964 tonnes in 2007/8. Meanwhile tonnages of paper collected through kerbside schemes, now available to all residents, rose from 1,533 tonnes 2003/4 to an impressive 2,719 in 2007/8.

All of the mixed paper collected is transported to the Smurfit Kappa paper mill in Birmingham where it is used to make a range of new packaging materials. The carbon footprint of the process is kept to a minimum because the material does not need to be transported to a separate sorting facility.

George Johnson, regional operations manager for Smurfit Kappa Recycling, explains the benefits: "The advantages of a mixed paper collection scheme are that it includes all paper-based materials, making it easy for residents to participate. We can also guarantee to local authorities and tax payers alike that the material we collect is only going to be used at a Smurfit Kappa paper mill."

Lorraine Neave, waste management officer for South Derbyshire District Council said: "Our residents have responded extremely well to the recycling challenge, taking advantage of all the services we've made available. Our policy is to ensure that they are offered a choice of recycling services and bring banks play an important role in that."

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