PR 149
15 March 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Although glass recycling has been one of the success stories of the last 12 months a handful of irresponsible residents are placing the future of several bring bank sites, such as the Rainbow Food Store in Bradwell, in jeopardy.
There is a growing problem at some recycling sites with a small minority of people simply dumping bags of glass, as well as other household rubbish around the base of the bring banks. This is not only unsightly and anti-social but also potentially dangerous. Some of these recycling sites are on Council owned land but others, such as those on Supermarkets and Public Houses are on private land. If this flytipping continues then the land owner has every right to ask the Council to remove the banks.
Rob Cole the Councils Recycling and Waste Minimisation Officer said:
“We have already had to remove the glass recycling banks at the Kings Head in Belton due to this problem and now it seems to be creeping to other sites. I implore those residents who are doing this to act responsibly and not dump their waste on the ground. There is absolutely no excuse for flytipping of any variety.”
“For example, at the Kings Head somebody was constantly dumping cardboard boxes full of empty Sullington beer bottles on a regular basis. Although we put up signs on the banks asking people not to flytip it continued unabated until eventually the pub landlord asked for the banks to be removed. It now appears this individual is doing exactly the same thing at the Rainbow Food Store in Bradwell.”
“Dumping around bottle banks also causes the snowball effect. Once one person does it others follow suit until it becomes impossible to even get at the banks. Flytipping is illegal and anybody found guilty of this offence can face fines up to £50,000 or imprisonment.”
There are almost 60 glass recycling points available borough wide and the vast majority of them are used properly. Over 1200 tonnes of glass have been recycled through local bring banks since April 2005, approximately double the amount recycled in the over the same period in 2004. This fantastic response by residents has helped a great deal towards the boroughs efforts to reach the 18% recycling rate the government has set us to achieve by the end of March.
John Hemsworth, head of Environmental Health added:
“Flytipping is a blight and constant irritation to both the Council and those people who responsibly use the bring banks. People ask us to provide these facilities but we will be unable to do so if these facilities are continually misused. It is a case of the minority ruining it for the majority.”
If you visit a bottle bank and find that it is full or nearly full please ring Rob Cole on 01493 846441 and we will arrange for the bank to be emptied.
For further information contact Recycling and Waste Minimisation Officer Rob Cole on 01493 846441.Picture caption – Recent pictures taken at the Rainbow Food Store in Bradwell.
Issued on behalf of Rob Cole by:
Liz Dann
Press Officer
Great Yarmouth Borough Council
01493 846513