Food waste will go to Mont Cuet tip for first six weeks of new refuse collections

States Trading Assets deputy managing director Richard Evans said food and black bag waste would go to Mont Cuet for at least six weeks after the new system is introduced.

‘We anticipate that commissioning of the new processing plant for this waste at Longue Hougue will commence in about the middle to second half of October,’ he said.

‘It’s our hope that all or some of the food and black bag waste will be going to Longue Hougue from then.’

There was an advantage to the timings.

‘Implementing the system this way will mean that we can iron out any problems that might occur with the collection system early doors,’ he said.

The new system of waste and recyclables collections will commence on 2 September but direct charges will not be imposed until January.

Receptacles for waste collections are being delivered to island homes in readiness, each containing an information booklet.

A card in the shape of a wheel that contained details of the waste that was previously sent to island homes will be updated with information that will be sent out shortly.

‘We are literally reinventing the wheel, as that was very generic, but the new information will be more detailed and address specific,’ said Mr Evans.

It will tell people what they have to put out and when.

It was important that people put the right things in the right containers.

‘If we get too much contaminated materials in the clear and blue bags for recyclables we have asked the contractors not to take them.

‘Contaminates can cause great problems for Mayside [the baling plant contractor] and ultimately reduce the value of the exported materials.’

Refuse contractor Clint Blondel estimates that he has declined to take about 300 bags so far.

‘But I do [collect in] St Saviour’s, St Andrew’s, Vale and St Martin’s, which is thousands of homes, so it probably sounds worse than what it is. Sometimes things will end up in the wrong bag inadvertently and we try and spot this at source. The biggest problem we get is with people putting glass in the clear or blue bags.’

He said it was important that people worked together.

Mr Blondel had previously raised concerns that he did not want to take his new trucks, which are lower, over the rough terrain at Mont Cuet.

He said he had now been told that a new road would be created within the site.

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