Transformation of Cornwall's waste and recycling services to go ahead after funding is approved

Work to transform waste and recycling services will go ahead after Cornwall Council voted to supply the extra funding required.

The plans will secure the improved infrastructure required to ensure the new weekly food waste collection service can be introduced in 2023.

The introduction of these changes will improve recycling rates through the separate weekly collection of food waste, encourage more recycling and reduce the amount of rubbish collected, which will in turn help cut our carbon footprint.

With the rising costs being experienced across the country, the project to deliver this new and improved infrastructure needs more capital funding.

The Council aims to ensure that all its capital projects make reasonable allowances for cost increases, however, the effect of inflation and the rapidly increasing costs of material and labour facing the whole construction industry, as well as issues such as rising fuel costs, have resulted in unprecedented cost increases that could not have been anticipated.

The council approved the required uplift at a full meeting of the council at County Hall in Truro yesterday.

Speaking after the meeting, council leader Linda Taylor said: “Recycling rates in Cornwall lag behind many other parts of the country, and I am determined that we tackle that.

“These changes to our waste and recycling collections will help drive up those figures, through the separate weekly collection of food waste which will help us to reduce the amount of rubbish we collect and in turn, help cut our carbon footprint.

“We must act now, and I am delighted we will be able to proceed and deliver the new service from next year.”