Kent waste partnership conducts waste audit check
The Kent Waste Partnership has analysed rubbish from the bins of more than 2,000 homes without their owners’ knowledge to try to cut waste and boost recycling.
Bins collected by every council, except Dartford, last December were studied to see exactly what was inside.
The survey found that food waste made up 34 per cent of rubbish, and paper and card was 16 per cent followed by glass at 6 per cent.
A Kent Waste Partnership spokeswoman said householders were not informed because “national practice on waste surveys has shown that advising residents beforehand that a waste survey is taking place simply serves to change their behaviours at the time of the survey.”
She continued: “The result is that the data from the survey can be significantly distorted from normal behaviours, and prevent local authorities from having the proper information on which to base business decisions involving tax payers’ funds. The approach taken by the KWP was to secure the information that is needed, and to do so in a discreet and measured manner.”
The KWP is made up of Kent’s district and borough councils and is responsible for waste management in Kent.
Dartford Borough Council, whose recycling rates are among the lowest in Kent, refused to take part in the audit, saying the methods amounted to “spying”.
Speaking to BBC News (8 May) Councillor Tony Martin said: “People do chuck things in the bin which they really don’t want other people looking at and if they felt that someone was going through their bin I think certainly some people would feel quite invaded by that.”
A KWP spokeswoman said: “Dartford BC’s governing administration has a manifesto commitment from 2007 around not taking part in waste audits.”
The survey also showed that pet bedding and dense plastic made up 7 per cent of rubbish, plastic film made up 5 per cent, textiles 3 per cent and waste electrical and electronic equipment 1 per cent.
Customer comments
No comments were found for Kent waste partnership conducts waste audit check. Be the first to comment!