A landfill fire that took days to bring under control has prompted a warning to residents throughout Somerset about what they must not put in their rubbish bins or black sacks. Around 120,000 tonnes of household rubbish is landfilled in Somerset at two sites – Walpole near Bridgwater and Dimmer near Castle Cary – at a cost to council tax payers of £12 million. Full story: Read more
Beyond landfill – Somerset’s search begins
Somerset is widening its residual waste treatment options beyond costly landfill in the search for better solutions that continue to meet residents’ needs and make significant financial savings. Outside its contract with waste firm Viridor, Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP) is asking waste treatment suppliers for alternatives to deal with more than 120,000 tonnes of refuse each year. Full story: Read more
Food waste recycling jumps 20% in trial
A campaign to encourage more recycling of food waste by 115,000 households in Somerset has proved a major success. Based on earlier trials in Street and Wellington, food waste recycling in Taunton Deane, Sedgemoor and the Chard-Ilminster area of South Somerset jumped 20%. If that rate is maintained, an annual extra 1,570 tonnes of food will be recycled, saving Somerset council tax payers £51,000 every year. Full story: Read more