Cardiff three-week bin scheme slammed by Tory councilor

Ted Peskett, Local Democracy Reporter

An opposition leader has slammed a council’s controversial idea to trial bin collections once every three weeks.

Cardiff Council’s cabinet approved the Recycling Strategy 2022-25 at a meeting on Wednesday, September 28.

In the ambitious strategy are a number of proposals, which include expanding the rollout of segregated recycling pilots, increasing the number of items eligible for kerbside recycling and trialling new approaches to recycling in flats and houses in multiple occupation (HMOs).

However, it is the proposal to trial changing non-recyclable waste collections to once every three weeks instead of once every two weeks which has got people talking.

Leader of the opposition at Cardiff Council, Cllr Adrian Robson, questioned the council’s idea of trialling fewer black bin bag collections, saying he had “deep concerns” about it.

The Conservative councillor added: “I just think it will cause confusion for a lot of people, particularly those who are elderly or maybe infirm and who are used to that routine of fortnightly.”

Cllr Robson was more positive about the idea of segregated recycling, but reiterated the importance of communicating changes to members of the public.

He added: “I do worry about the black bins going three weekly. I just think it is not fair on residents, really – those who do recycle properly should still be able to get rid of their rubbish every fortnight.”

‘Evidence of success’

Cabinet member for climate change, Cllr Caro Wild, said the trialling of fewer black bin bag collections might not need to take place and that it is just an idea for now.

However, he said the concept was backed up with evidence of its success elsewhere, adding that the idea behind it is to encourage people to put less recyclable waste in their black bin bags.

He said: “It might not be needed if people were to do everything right, we might hit the targets anyway.

“Where they have struggled with their figures in other authorities… where they have done the three weekly, it has worked.

“People have worked out how to do it pretty quickly and it has increased their recycling rates.”

As well as being aimed at tackling the climate emergency, the council’s recycling strategy is also designed to help the authority meet its annual targets, which are set at 64% by the Welsh Government. Failure to meet the target could result in a financial penalty.

Recycling performance in Cardiff for 2021-22 was around 60%.