Goals targets and achievements

All councils have targets on how much waste from their county should be recycled. Bedfordshire County Council has set itself a target to recycle 32% of it’s waste by 2006/7 and 38% by 2007/08.

In 2006/7, we recycled 34% of all waste produced in Bedfordshire. Thanks to your efforts we were able to recycle over 43,000 tonnes of material through the kerbside dry recycling scheme and over 27,000 tonnes through the Kerbside green recycling scheme between 1 April 2006 - 31 March 2007. 2007/08 is looking even better with 40% recycling (subject to audit).

We are always looking to expand the range of materials that can be recycled in the county, although many other items can be recycled the markets for them are not very well developed in the UK. Once we find a reprocessor who can take these materials from us we will add them to the recycling collection scheme, but this is dictated by markets and cost. Recently cartons (e.g. your fruit juice cartons) can now be recycled at Household Waste Recycling Centres.

Improvements to your service

• Additional garden waste can be taken for composting at the 5 Household Waste Recycling Centres in Bedfordshire if it doesn't fit in your kerbside collection container.
  
• Wood can be taken to the Household Waste Recycling Centres for recycling.
  
• We are looking to increase the number of local recycling sites in Bedfordshire, to include more bottle, paper and textile banks.
  
• The County Council has a Recycling Exhibition Trailer in order to educate and increase awareness of recycling. The Trailer visits county events and schools. To arrange a visit please visit the education link below for contact details.
  
• In conjunction with Mid Beds District Council, the County Council supported the trial of food waste collections to 6,000 homes in the Cranfield, Flitwick, Shefford, Sandy and Potton areas, for more information on the trial success, please visit the Food waste trial case study link below. 
  
• Refurbishment of Bedford Household Waste Recycling Centre, Barkers Lane.
  
• Collection of WEEE electricals at Household Waste Recycling Centres.