Issue 38 - Summer 2012 - Wigan Council

oes!to pick up the ideas and takenaturally to the idea of recycling fora greener future. What we reallyhope is that they then take thismessage home and encourage theirfamilies to do the same.”So far the team have succeededin helping 91 per cent of theborough’s schools achieve EcoSchool status and more than aquarter have received the covetedGreen Flag Status.“Our aim is to get as manyschools as possible to achieve thisand now we’ve got Waste Warriorand Scoop to help, we’re prettyconfident we can do it,” says Ellen.Following assembly the childrenat Britannia Bridge take part inclassroom work all about waste andrecycling led by Rebecca and Ellen.Headteacher Damon Donaldsonis a big fan of the team.“It’s great that we now havecharacters like Waste Warrior andScoop to help to make it more funand to bring the message to life,”he says. “We have a very strongrecycling ethos at the school andour children really do understandwhy it is important that we cutdown on waste for a better future.Thanks to initiatives like this Iwould say that our children are notthe next generation of recyclers,they already are recyclers.”New caddies givefood for thought toboost recycling‘CADDY’ On Recycling...we’ve got black, we’ve gotbrown, we’ve got blue andwe’ve got green.Different bins fordifferent typesof waste,each doingits duty aspart ofWiganBorough’sRecyclingRevolution.But nowthere’s anew kidon theblock andwhilst it mightbe small, we’rehoping it’s goingto be a big-hitterin the war on waste.The latest, smart newaddition to Wigan’srecycling family is thekitchen caddy and it ishere to gobble down yourfood waste!Dumping our rubbish ina hole in the ground mayhave seemed like a goodidea at one time but it’s nolonger an option. Landfillcosts are spiralling andthere just isn’t enoughroom to go on buryingwaste. It’s bad for theenvironment and we couldbe storing up problems forfuture generations.Which is why WiganCouncil has introduced theKitchen Caddy.This sleek silver box cantake five litres of foodwaste and comescomplete with asupply ofcompostableliners to makerecycling cleanand easy.Householdswith green binswill be givendishwasher-friendlycaddies andcompostable caddy linersto put their food waste inbefore transferring it tothe green bin.Wigan Council’sCabinet Member forthe Environment, CllrKevin Anderson said:“Food waste currentlycounts for about a fifthof all the rubbish goinginto black bins. Insteadof sending it to landfill,we want to make it as easyas possible for people tocompost it.“It is a much cheaperalternative and at a timewhen we are having tomake £66million worth ofcuts, measures such as thiswill help us to cut costsand help save £14millionwhich can be put towardsessential front-lineservices.”And if you haven’t got agreen bin, don’t panic! Allhouseholds will be gettingthe same caddy and linersbut those without a greenbin can request a largeroutdoor caddy to put theirfood waste in ready forcollection.These homes will havehave the same every otherweek collections, using thesame crew and vehicles asthose with green bins.The combined food andgarden waste will be sentto regional waste disposalfacilities, where it willcreate quality compost foruse on agricultural land.“The proposals alsomake environmentalsense,” adds Cllr Anderson.“Sending lesswaste tolandfillmeansfewerproblemsdown theline forourchildren,naturalhabitatsprotected notpolluted, fewergreenhouse gases and evenmore waste recycled intonew products.”To help householdersunderstand the newservice, a special fiveminute instructional videois available online at:www.wigan.gov.uk/recyclingSafetyFIRST!ONLY put your bins outfor 7am on the day theyare due for collection.DON’T overfill your binsor leave loose rubbisharound them.DO store your binswithin your boundarybut away from theproperty (between1-2metres), and awayfrom windows anddoors.DO keep your bins outof sight of opportunistswho may target them.DANGER TO YOUWheelie bin fires canspread causing dangerto the public andproperty.DANGER TO THEENVIRONMENTToxic fumes and smokefrom bin fires pollutethe environment.COST TO US ALLWheelie bin fires costthe fire service and theauthority – andultimately the tax-payer– dearly. Almost all firescould be prevented byfollowing these simplerules.BOROUGH LIFE Summer 2012 27