Recycling in Douglas quadrupled since introduction of fortnightly bin collections

A year on from the introduction of fortnightly bin collections, Douglas Council says recycling in the city has quadrupled.

The decision made by Douglas Council last September was seen as controversial by some residents.

The local authority says its aim was to increase recycling rates from a ‘static’ five percent and promote responsible waste management.

It says the rate is now at 20% and believes the strategy has worked from that perspective.

The change means bin and recycling collections are done on alternate weeks.

It also started a kerbside garden waste collection service which started in February and will run to November this year.

The Chair of the Environmental Services Committee Falk Horning claims the council is ‘committed’ to carrying out a review of the fortnightly bin collection service once it has a full year of data.

He says the majority of ‘residents’ in Douglas have adjusted to the change and claims it has ‘never been about cost’ and was instead to ‘minimise’ environmental impact and ‘promote’ responsible waste management.

Councillor Horning has praised residents who’ve ‘engaged positively’ with the scheme and said their co-operation supports the Island’s biosphere credentials and reduced raw material extraction.