Cornwall's rubbish revolution rolls into final area

Leaders at Cornwall Council have said more than 10,000 tonnes of food waste have been collected since they introduced caddies for kitchen waste last year.

Next month Cornwall's new household waste system will be rolled out to the final area, Mid West Cornwall, which includes Truro, Falmouth, Redruth and Camborne.

The new system sees food waste collected every week, while "black bag" rubbish bins and recycling sacks and boxes are emptied on alternate weeks.

The council said recycling rates had already risen sharply under the new scheme.

The rollout started in January 2024 and was organised largely around the former district council areas.

The black 180-litre wheelie bins or seagull-proof sacks, together with the smaller green food waste bins, have become a familiar sight on Cornwall kerbsides.

The aim of the scheme was to reduce the amount of non-recyclable rubbish, and Cornwall Council's portfolio holder for Neighbourhoods Carol Mould was pleased the county's recycling rate had increased from 34% to 44% this year.

"Our recycling rates are going up very nicely and when we're finished we should be up to the 50% or 51% mark," she said.

"It is really interesting the amount of extra recycling we get, once people understand that you've got your bin, it does increase.

"It is absolutely fantastic, and also people realise just how much food waste they do chuck out, so hopefully it focuses everyone's mind to think 'hey ho, not so much waste'."

But not everyone is a fan of the new household waste collection regime.

Penzance adopted the new system in July - one resident David Curnow said he was confused by the new rules.

"It's only my wife and myself and we struggle to get everything right, our black bag bins are rammed full," he complained.

"If they're collected fortnightly it will be putting people out of a job."

Just down the road, Ian Inch said: "With fortnightly collections you haven't got a lot of choice but to recycle more. I feel like we're being pushed into it.

"I'm getting used to food recycling bags but they do split and it all gets a bit stinky with bin juice."

Lisa Colenso said: "It's OK. I like the food bins, we definitely chuck out less stuff because of it. It's better for the environment and less stuff goes to landfill."

And in St Ives there had been some criticism the council were slow to remove the old bins as the new ones were deployed.

Last to get the new service, the Mid West Cornwall area runs from Camborne in the west, to Probus in the east, Falmouth in the south and Perranporth in the north.

It contains 89,000 homes, way more than the average of 55,000 homes in the other four areas.

Cllr Carol Mould admitted it was the "most challenging area" but added: "Hopefully the bumps in the road we found with the other four rollouts we can even out along here. "

"It's a big challenge but when it's done, we're done, and Cornwall will be completely rolled out with food waste, and we will be firmly on our way.

"It really is a must that we must do."

Cornwall Council has held a series of roadshows ahead of the Mid West Cornwall starting date in early March.

Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].