Gloucester city council is trialling a plastic tie-on cover for its recycling boxes across part of the city.
The elasticated covers have been distributed to around 5,000 households in Gloucester. If they prove successful, the covers could be rolled out to homes across the whole city.
One of the Sackmaker covers on a Gloucester box
The covers have been introduced to prevent recyclable materials being blown into the street; Gloucester city council said that residents had reported their black recycling box lids were becoming detached too easily from the boxes.
Commenting on the trial, Cllr Richard Cook, cabinet member for the environment at Gloucester city council, said: “We’ve decided to trial an alternative tie-on lid, which can be strapped around the box. We will be giving these to a number of homes around the city and asking for their feedback. A longer term solution will then be considered.”
He added: “We provide a weekly kerbside recycling service that allows residents to recycle cardboard, paper, aluminium, steel, plastics, aerosols, foil, glass, batteries, cartons, food waste and an optional garden waste service.”
Sackmaker
The black recycling boxes and original lids are manufactured by Straight Ltd of Hull. The plastic covers being trialled come from manufacturer and supplier of woven polypropylene sacks and bags, Sackmaker, in Glasgow.
Above: A video demonstrating how the Boxhat covers are attached (Video: Sackmaker)
When contacted by letsrecycle.com, Sackmaker confirmed that the company has provided 5,000 green Boxhat covers to the authority. A spokesperson said the covers are elasticated and can fit a number of different size boxes. And, over the years, the company has supplied 2.5 million to around 70 different councils.
According to Sackmaker, it recently supplied Boxhat covers to councils including Carlisle, Sheffield and Lancaster city councils.
Amey
Waste management firm Amey is contracted to collect the recyclables on behalf of Gloucester. A spokesperson for Amey told letsrecycle.com that the elasticated covers help prevent items being blown about the streets, and also keep the recyclable materials “protected from the elements which maintains their quality”.
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Source: letsrecycle.com Waste Managment
