Teignbridge rewards winners for recycling
The first batch of winners in Teignbridge’s Recycling Together Rewards scheme has been announced.
Community groups, trusts, charities and residents have all been named as winners in the scheme aimed at reducing the amount of food waste sent for disposal and encouraging recycling.
Newton Abbot Community Transport Association and Kingsteignton Swimming Pool and Recreational Association are the top winners so far scooping £100.
Bovey Tracey Heritage Trust, Open Daw in Dawlish, Devon UK Mega, Homeless in Teignbridge Support (HITS) Foodbank, The Parish Church of St Peter St Paul and St Thomas, Bovey Tracey, and Whitestone Social Club have all landed prizes of £25.
Individual residents have also won £25 with lucky people in Dawlish, Whitestone, Bovey Tracey and Chudleigh pocketing cash prizes. Two residents, one in Ipplepen and one in Teignmouth, landed the top prize of £100 each.
The scheme is supported by £40,000 from the Department for Communities and Local Government and is part of Teignbridge's new waste and recycling collection service which will help make it easier for people to recycle more.
Community organisations sign up online for a free marketing toolkit which enables them to encourage their members, friends and family to get involved.
Participants put reward stickers on their black bins to show they are part of the scheme. The challenge is to keep the bin free of any food waste or recyclables.
Each month two top prizes of £100 and eight runner-up prizes of £25 are up for grabs to the households that are taking part, with their nominated community group getting the cash equivalent.
Cllr Kevin Lake, Teignbridge District Council's Executive spokesman for Environment Services, said:
“Sign up so far has been fantastic and we are delighted to announce the first round of winners. If you haven’t signed up yet, then what are you waiting for? We’d love to see more community groups join in and with Christmas just around the corner, the prize money may come in handy! It’s really easy to sign up online via www.teignbridge.gov.uk/recyclingrewards
This week marks the end of the phased roll out of Teignbridge's new waste and recycling scheme. Statistics show:
• Teignbridge is now collecting 75 kg per household per year of food waste, whereas before the average was 49kg per household per year. This means that lots more food waste is being sent for recycling rather than disposal, which was happening under the old system. Food waste is being sent for anaerobic digestion, a process that generates electricity.
• 200 tonnes of cardboard has been collected from homes so far. This will be recycled rather than composted. Recycling cardboard is far better for the environment and more economical than composting.
• In October 2015, crews collected 73 tonnes of plastics compared to 45 tonnes in October 2014. This means more plastics is being recycled and isn't going for disposal.
Cllr Lake said: “After many months of hard work and some big changes, we’ve now completed the three-month roll out. We’d like to thank our residents for their patience while we rolled out the new bin service and hope they continue to reduce, recycle and reuse.”
