Wokingham waste and recycling public consultation results

Wokingham Borough Council say that nearly 68 per cent of a small sample of people who responded to the survey now put out on average one blue bag per week.

This compares to 57 per cent of people who said they used to put out on average one bag per week, before the introduction of the new waste and recycling scheme last April.

The survey, carried out in August and September this year, saw nearly 2,000 residents complete a questionnaire or attend one of the council’s drop-in road shows.

Members of the council’s decision-making executive are due to consider if there should be changes to the 2013/14 waste and recycling scheme at their meeting on November 29.

Since its introduction in April this year, the scheme has delivered a borough-wide 22 per cent reduction in household waste collected, and a 24 per cent increase in kerbside recycling. This has dramatically reduced the council’s landfill tax charges and the likelihood of paying landfill fines in the future.

More women than men took part in the survey; with 26 per cent of those taking part representing two-person households, and 27 per cent from four-person homes.

93 per cent of people say were aware of the scheme before it started. 68 per cent say they knew about it from the council–produced leaflet delivered to their home; 48 per cent from the local press; 28 per cent from the autumn 2011 edition of the council’s Wokingham Borough News; and 25 per cent from the spring 2012 edition of the same publication.

Nearly 47 per cent of people in the survey say they are happy with the transparency of their blue waste bags, which were introduced in April.

50 per cent interviewed say they don’t like the size of the bags, while 49 per cent say they do.

88 per cent of people in the survey say they are aware the council is charged by the government for the amount of household waste that goes to landfill.

92 per cent of people say they know about the Recyclebank incentive scheme; 63 per cent taking part in the survey say they have now signed up to the scheme.

69 per cent of people say they take their garden waste to a household waste recycling centre. Of those people asked there’s a 50/50 split between those who home compost, and those who don’t.