Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

Please put your bin and black box out regularly.
A spokesman for Hills Waste Solutions, which collects and sorts much of the household waste sent for recycling in the county, said people sometimes kept hold of their bins if they didn't think there was much in them. In Kennet the district council has separate arrangements for the black box and garden waste collections.

Cliff Carter, recycling promotions manager at Hills, said: "It helps us provide a better service if people put recycling their bins out every fortnight rather than wait until they are full.

"At the moment we're finding there are real peaks and troughs in the amount of material coming through. For instance, that means that in the hot weather where the garden waste has been stored for a month, it can be very unpleasant to handle and transport and more difficult to compost.

"To meet tough government rules we need to ensure that the compost meets quality standards. So if it's collection day, the lorries are going past your door anyway so it's better to put out your bin even if there is only a little bit in there."

The first few months of the new financial year have seen an increase in the amount of material sent for recycling. Garden waste in particular has soared. It means that, across the county, more than 40 per cent of household waste has been recycled.

Andy Conn, waste services manager at Wiltshire County Council, said: "Residents have started the new financial year with a real burst of energy and long may that continue.

"People are making use of the longer opening hours at our ten household recycling centres on Wednesdays and Thursday evenings and Hills Waste Solutions has distributed quite a few extra black boxes for those households which generate a lot of recycling.

"But even if there is only a little bit to go in your recycling box or garden waste bin, still put it out as it keeps the system flowing smoothly. It also means a more efficient service which offers better value for money for the council tax payer. Lighter boxes are also easier for the crews to handle as they lift several hundred each day."

The recycling centres now also have new bins which can take Tetra Pak and other beverage cartons. The bins were installed this month allowing people in Wiltshire to recycle these items for the first time. See July 10th article for more information.