Douglas Borough Council has announced further details about its new domestic waste collection strategy. Designed to upgrade environmentally-responsible waste management, the aim is to encourage everyone to reduce, re-use and recycle as much as possible.
The first step will be the introduction of fortnightly domestic garden waste collections at the kerbside early this summer, which will then operate between February and October each year with all eligible households supplied with a new 240-litre wheelie bin for garden waste. This will complement the existing kerbside recycling collection operation, while the Eastern Civic Amenity Site will continue to provide skips for garden waste if that is preferred.
Once the garden waste collections are bedded in, household rubbish collections will move from weekly to fortnightly, anticipated to begin late summer/early Autumn 2022.
The Council will provide further advice and assistance over the coming months to all households, including assessments of individual households with complex waste capacity requirements.
Environment Services Committee Chair, Councillor Falk Horning, said: ‘While these new measures will lead to some savings, the main driver for the change is not financial but for sound environmental reasons. As a UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man partner, the Council is committed to strengthening its green credentials and encouraging responsible waste management behaviour. The changes we are introducing will help reinforce this. Put simply, it’s crucial that we reduce the volume of waste we produce and maximise the amount we recycle in what will be a positive change for Douglas.
‘We appreciate there will be a period of adjustment with this and we will work to address any issues as quickly as possible. We welcome everyone’s support in embracing these changes for the good of our environment.
‘Support will be provided to households having difficulty minimising their waste; residents will, however, need to demonstrate they are already using the other waste disposal options provided by the Council’s kerbside collection service - which accepts paper, white, grey and brown card, aluminium and steel cans, plastic and glass bottles - in addition to the new fortnightly garden waste collections.’
Additional kerbside boxes/bags can be obtained free of charge by calling 696445 or e-mail: refuse@douglas.gov.im.
In-depth details will be provided to households closer to the time. In addition, further information, including a series of Frequently Asked Questions to be updated on a regular basis, will be available on Douglas Borough Council’s website at: http://www.douglas.gov.im/, as well as updates on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DouglasBoroughCouncil. To get in touch e-mail: refuse@douglas.gov.im or call 696445.
