POOLE has axed its mobile recycling service around the borough bringing to an end seven years of convenience for residents.
Instead of going to the Nuffield Road tip, they could take recyclable waste including garden cuttings, to their nearest of five mobile sites spread around town.
Residents took 80 tonnes of waste every year to the mobile points at Rossmore, Baiter, Canford Cliffs, Hamworthy and Bearwood.
But this was not enough to keep the fortnightly service going, which cost more than £15,000 a year in staff operating costs and took household batteries, small electrical items, textiles and cardboard as well as garden rubbish. It will end on April 1.
Cllr Marion Le Poidevin, one of a number of Liberal Democrat and Poole People members who called the decision in said: “It’s restricting choice. It’s taking away a service that some residents have found useful – for comparatively little savings.”
She added: “Some people don’t have their own transport and can’t get to the Nuffield site. But they would put a broken toaster in a shopping bag and take it around the corner.”
Mobile sites were introduced in 2006 as an alternative for residents not benefitting from the restricted kerbside garden waste collection. Now every resident can opt-in at a cost of £31 a year.
For 2012/13 so far the garden waste kerbside collection has gathered 5643 tonnes, green waste ‘bring sites’ 57 ton-nes and 2726 tonnes has been taken to the tip.
“The decision to remove the mobile recycling points, located at five areas across Poole, was made as they were not generating enough use,” said Kate Langdown, street scene team manager, Borough of Poole.
“They were primarily for garden waste, and in comparison to other methods of disposing of garden waste, were not cost effective or popular with residents.
“We understand this news is disappointing for those residents who use the mobile bring sites.
“However, our new tip now benefits from extended opening hours to improve accessibility to residents and the kerbside garden waste collection service is now available to all residents who wish to subscribe,” she said.
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