Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP) has won a top industry award for its new Recycle More service.
It has collected the Environmental Services category in the prestigious Local Government Chronicle Awards which celebrate the very best local authority achievements.
Recycle More’s expanded collections were introduced across the county – including the Burnham-On-Sea area – in a four-phase roll-out that started in October 2020.
With their striking Bright Blue Bags, they have reduced the rubbish in the county’s bins and helped push Somerset’s recycling rate up to its highest ever level, more than 56%.
97% of our recycling is processed in the UK thanks to kerbside sorting.
SWP and Recycle More were up against strong competition from council initiatives up and down the country. Judges praised the partnership working seen across the five councils that make up SWP and said the new service has clear potential to be an exemplar for other authorities.
Councillor Sarah Dyke, Chair of the Somerset Waste Board, said: “This award is the culmination of years of preparation and hard work from a lot of people.”
“To be recognised by our peers in the most prestigious of awards is something everyone involved can be really proud of.”
“This shows what Somerset’s councils can achieve working together and the award is very timely as we work towards the creation of the new unitary council next year.”
Mickey Green, Managing Director of SWP, adds: “Recycle More demonstrates the public commitment to recycling and we are delighted with the way people have embraced the new service.”
“None of this could happen without the incredible efforts put in day in and day out by our hardworking collection crews.”
More than 350,000 collections are made by crews each week by SWP’s contractor, SUEZ.
Matt Canning, Contract Director from SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK, adds: “It has been a privilege to work in partnership with SWP and deliver their vison of Recycle More to each of the districts. This award is for all those involved from the team that came up with the concept, to those that delivered it and to the collection crews who made it a reality.”
