BIN collections have become fortnightly in Coventry under changes designed to save £1million a year and promote recycling.
From this week, weekly collections of residents’ green-lidded bins have stopped, becoming fortnightly instead.
Coventry City Council’s bin workers will now empty your green-lidded bin one week, and your blue-lidded and brown-lidded bins the following week.
You can now recycle your food waste in both your brown-lidded or green-lidded bins – meaning you can dispose of your food waste every week.
A so-called ‘food waste caddy’ – a small box – is also being distributed to every household, although some residents this week complained it had not arrived.
The caddies can be kept in your kitchen to collect all of your food waste – cooked and uncooked, until you transfer it to your brown-lidded or green-lidded bin.
Councillor Jayne Innes, cabinet member for city services, apologised for any non-deliveries and pledged to sort out the issues.
She said if households were able, they could also pick up a food waste caddy from their nearest library.
Independent councillor Glenn Williams (Bablake) said the £190,000 cost could not be justified amid cuts.
But Coun Innes said the changes would result in £1million savings every year, after government funding cuts since 2010 had removed £95million per year from the council’s budget.
She added more recycling would reduce the amount of waste going to expensive landfill.
Also being distributed are a new waste calendar of collections, a guide to using the caddy, a roll of compostable liners, and more information about the new service.
Collection day may have changed for some residents, so checking the calendar is advised, the council says.
The calendar and other information is also available at http://www.coventry.gov.uk/binchanges
