‘Closing rest of bring banks would save £100k a year’
CLOSING the island's three remaining bring banks could save up to £100,000 a year, the States has calculated.
A decision about the future of the sites at Rohais, Salerie Corner and Longfrie has not yet been made.
But the future waste charges policy letter from the States' Trading Supervisory Board, which details how blue and clear recycling bags could cost 25p each in a bid to balance costs, demonstrates that kerbside is overwhelmingly the preferred option for most islanders.
‘Only around 2% of households still rely on bring banks for all their recycling, and closure of the remaining sites... will save up to £100,000 a year,’ the report states.
Both kerbside recycling and bring banks are currently free for users. Bring banks are still used by many islanders, particularly for cardboard packaging. While only 3% solely use bring banks for cardboard, a further 43% use them alongside kerbside.
With glass, 8% of people use just bring banks, but a further 24% use both.
The policy letter said this was being taken into account.
‘For materials most frequently taken to these facilities – bulky cardboard, glass and textiles – alternative provisions are available at the HWRC [at Longue Hougue] and could be provided elsewhere if necessary.
‘Guernsey Waste is currently reviewing the existing facilities with a view to implementing changes during 2022.’.
There has been a steady reduction in bring bank sites since the introduction of kerbside recycling in 2014, when there were 57, most of which have closed.
But 90% of the material collected was from eight super sites – Rohais, Salerie Corner and Longfrie, which are still open, and Chouet, L’Eree, Manor Stores, Vazon and South Side.
