Cornwall’s new food waste and rubbish bin collection service has been 'challenging', admits its boss.
Cornwall councillor Carol Mould, portfolio holder for neighbourhoods, told a meeting of the council’s Conservative cabinet this week: “I wouldn’t want anyone leaving this room thinking it’s been a wonderful sailing experience on calm waters. We expected it to be slightly choppy and that’s the way it’s proven to be.”
Homes in Mid Cornwall, South East Cornwall and West Cornwall - including Helston and the Lizard - are already using the new service, which sees weekly food waste and fortnightly rubbish collections across the Duchy. The new service has been launched to “help us all waste less and recycle more”.
New collections will start in North Cornwall this autumn and in Mid West Cornwall in 2025.
Every household receives new bins or seagull-proof sacks suitable for their property. Most households will be able to put out up to 180 litres of rubbish fortnightly – the amount that fits in your new wheelie bin or sack with the lid closed. This is roughly the equivalent of three to four black bags.
Cornwall residents also receive a silver kitchen caddy to make separating food waste from rubbish easier and a green outdoor collection caddy for storing and putting food waste out.
Cornwall Council's new rubbish and recycling collections due to start in June 2021 (Image: Cornwall Council)
Cllr Mould told the meeting at County Hall / Lys Kernow on Wednesday (September 18): “We are well into rolling out the new waste delivery system, which is a mandated service – we had to do it by 2025, so we’re a bit behind the curve with delivering it, but we’re now well on our way.
“I think it’s fair to say we’ve had our challenges, but I don’t think we’ve had anything that’s so major that the waste team have not been able to deal with it.
"Sometimes the volumes of calls have been challenging, but it is testament to the waste team who have managed this rollout to an exceptional standard and we are well on our way with it.”
She added: “The bins are going out and every challenge that we get given we seem to be able to resolve, but that’s not to say there aren’t some that take longer than others, so I wouldn’t want anyone leaving this room thinking it’s been a wonderful sailing experience on calm waters.
"We expected it to be slightly choppy and that’s the way it’s proven to be.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here