RESIDENTS living in South East Cornwall can start using their new food waste, recycling and rubbish service from this week.

The service is aimed at reducing waste, increasing recycling and contributing to a sustainable environment for all.

Cornwall Council is introducing weekly food waste collections and switching to fortnightly rubbish collections across Cornwall area by area.

Residents in the second roll-out area of South East Cornwall have received new food waste caddies and rubbish bins or protective sacks in preparation for the service change which starts today (April 8).

The area covers Liskeard, Polruan, Polperro, Looe, Torpoint, Saltash, Callington, Pensilva and their surrounding areas.

This follows the launch of the waste collection rollout in mid Cornwall in January.

South East Cornwall residents are being encouraged to check their collection calendars posted to them or at www.cornwall.gov.uk/myarea to make sure they know which days to put out their food waste, recycling and rubbish.

The key elements of the new waste service in South East Cornwall are:

  • Weekly food waste collections 
  • Fortnightly rubbish collections in a wheelie bin or protective sack
  • Fortnightly recycling collections in the current recycling bags and box
  • New collection days for most residents
  • Recycling collection week change for some residents

All households in Cornwall will be sent:

  • A silver kitchen caddy to make it easy to separate food waste from rubbish
  • A green outdoor collection caddy for storing and putting out your food waste for collection
  • A wheelie bin or reusable protective sack to put out rubbish for collection

Properties with shared bins or communal bin stores will be provided with bins to suit their collection arrangements.

Cllr Carol Mould, Cornwall’s cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said: “Our new food waste, recycling and rubbish service will help residents in South East Cornwall to increase their recycling and cut down on waste as well as recycle their food waste for the first time. All this helps to lower our carbon footprint and lessen our impact on the planet contributing to a thriving, sustainable Cornwall.

“If you live in South East Cornwall, make sure you know how your waste collections are changing from this week. Most people’s collection day is changing but don’t forget to also check which week you should put out your rubbish and food waste and which week you need to put out your recycling and food waste. If you’re not sure, just go to www.cornwall.gov.uk/myarea and put in your postcode.

“You can also find lots of tips on starting to recycle your food waste at www.cornwall.gov.uk/foodrecycling. If you need advice and have a question for our waste team, just head to www.cornwall.gov.uk/wastechanges.

“I also want to say a big thank you to everyone in mid Cornwall who has got on board with the new waste service. In the first two months of the rollout we collected 800 tonnes of food waste and the proportion of recycling we are picking up in the area has gone up from 40 per cent of all waste collected to 55 per cent.”

Residents in the third roll-out area of West Cornwall will start receiving their new bins next month ahead of their collection change in July.

Everyone else will remain on the current rubbish and recycling service until they receive information about when the changes start in their area.