Recycle your unwanted electrical items at Knaresborough Market this week

North Yorkshire County Council will be collecting small electrical items such as plugs, kettles and hairdryers at Knaresborough Market this week.

It’s part of a campaign to reduce the number of small electrical items being thrown in the bin or hidden away at home.

Members of volunteer group North Yorkshire Rotters will be on hand to collect anything with a plug, battery or cable free of charge.

They will also be giving away free tubs to store used batteries, which will be available while stocks last.

Knaresborough Market is one of 20 locations in North Yorkshire where people can recycle electrical goods over the next month.

They can also be recycled at the household waste recycling centres, which are operated by Yorwaste on behalf of the county council.

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Scarborough Conservative councillor Derek Bastiman, executive member for waste management, said:

“The library drop-off service and market day events throughout June will make it easier for many people to drop off items that don’t work anymore and can’t be repaired.

“But, if you struggle to get to a household waste recycling centre please ask a friend or neighbour to take your broken appliance the next time they go and I would encourage residents who do visit our household waste recycling centres to ask anyone they know who doesn’t drive if they need any help.”

Wheelie bin trial gets underway in Knaresborough today

The first wheelie bins were delivered to homes on Appleby estate in Knaresborough today in a trial that could see a new recycling system rolled out across the Harrogate district.

After years of uncovered recycling being blown across the streets on windy days, Harrogate Borough Council finally announced this month it would introduce blue-lidded wheelie bins.

The wheelie bins, which replace the old black boxes, will be used for glass bottles and jars, tin cans and foil, food and drink cartons, plastic bottles and tubs.

Blue bags will continue to be used for recycling paper, card and cardboard.

The council chose Appleby estate, which has around 200 houses, to test the new system and today saw the first batch of wheelies bins delivered and the old black boxes taken away.

If the trial is a success, the black boxes will soon become a thing of the past in the district.

The Stray Ferret visited the estate today to witness the new system being introduced and to speak to residents.

Numerous people told us they were pleased to be given an “upgrade”, adding the main positives were no longer having to pick up rubbish that has blown out of the boxes and having more capacity to recycle.

Paul Clayton, who lives on Appleby Avenue, said:

“Especially in this cul-de-sac it can be quite windy so rubbish often flies about. The only concern is will they be emptied as regularly but other than that it’s all a plus.”

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The first wheelie bin collection will be in two weeks but the early indications were overwhelmingly positive.

Mr Smithson, who also lives on Appleby Avenue, said:

“Everybody here is really pleased to be told we would be the first in the trial, we take a lot of care around here. It’s a nice place to live and we look after it.”

Harrogate council to move ‘eyesore’ £4,350 smart bins

Two new smart bins branded an ‘eyesore’ outside Harrogate’s Valley Gardens are to be moved.

Harrogate Borough Council said today it would “find a more suitable location for the bins”, which it revealed cost £4,350 each.

The bins use sensors to identify different types of waste, as well as how full the receptacles are and whether they have been damaged.

Harrogate Civic Society and the Friends of Valley Gardens both called for the bins to be relocated this week because of their visual impact on the conservation area.

The council has installed six smart bins, costing a total of £26,1000, in Valley Gardens. But it is the two outside the main entrance that have attracted criticism.

Stuart Holland, co-chair of the civic society, said it welcomed receptacles to collect waste and recycling but described the smart bins as ‘eyesores’.

Ann Beeby, secretary of the Friends of Valley Gardens charity, said it has aesthetic concerns and had asked the council to consider moving them inside the entrance.

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A council spokesman said today:

“The location of the bins was chosen in areas where footfall is high and where in peak season bins require emptying multiple times a day.

“We’d like to thank Harrogate district residents and Harrogate Civic Society for sharing their comments on the bins. And following feedback from the civic society, we will work with them to find a more suitable location for the bins outside Valley Gardens to preserve the heritage of the town while maintaining a high footfall area.”

Smart bins ‘improve efficiency and increase recycling’

Smart bins at Valley Gardens

Two bins have also been installed in the children’s play area.

The council spokesperson said the new solar-powered compacting public bins would “improve efficiency and increase recycling”.

They added:

“Each self-contained 240l bin, that prevents birds and vermin from entering, can compact the volume of up to 10 standard bins.

“Resulting in each pair accommodating a total of up to 4,800 litres of waste and recycling and a reduction in the time and cost of emptying bins, as well as a reduction in fuel costs and carbon emissions.

“Meaning we can spend more time litter picking and keeping the district clean and looking its best.

“The allowance for recycling glass, plastic and cans means that these items can be removed from general waste and increase the district’s recycling rates.

“Much like the standard bins that have recently been retrofitted with a sensor, we are also able to monitor fill levels and are alerted if there are issues with the bin, or the bin becomes full before its next collection, ensuring litter is kept to a minimum and we can ensure the district is kept clean and tidy.”

 

Harrogate Spring Water litter pick campaign highlights children’s concern for the planet

It is the youth of today who often get stereotyped as caring more about scrolling social media than taking action to save the planet.

Just last year there was huge anger towards youngsters who partied on the Stray in Harrogate, leaving council workers and volunteers to clean up.

However, it appears that this view couldn’t be further from the truth.

‘Littering most harmful for the environment’

A survey commissioned by Harrogate Spring Water as part of a successful environmental campaign launched by the company last month revealed that children and young people see littering as the individual act which most harms the environment.

The poll of more than 1,000 children, aged between nine and 16, found that 92 per cent of youngsters rated the environment as important to them – well ahead of the 47 per cent who rated their social media profiles as important.

And over three quarters of children admitted that they were worried about the environment, with littering seen as the worst environmental offence and children saying that adults should lead by example in teaching them how to protect the planet.

Valley Gardens

So as part of Harrogate Spring Water’s ‘Lunchtime Litter Pick’ campaign, I took my two boys, Noah and Luca, to the Valley Gardens to pick up some rubbish and ask them about their views on the issue.

It certainly might not be the first activity you think of when it comes to family time, but the kids, who are aged three and eight, were genuinely quite excited when I told them what we were up to.

We had some spare time after school, and thanks to the lighter evenings, we headed out with our high vis vests, gloves – make sure your children wear thick ones – and bin bags and got to work.

Within an hour we had filled one bin bag, which was surprising, as you certainly don’t realise just how much there is strewn about.

The boys had a whale of a time running around in the fresh air, excitedly shouting when they spotted a piece of litter.

And admittedly it felt really good to be doing our bit, even in a small way. Small steps can make big changes as we all know.

Litter picking adventure

When we got home, we had a chat about our litter picking adventure.

Noah said:

“There were lots of cans in the park and when we were coming back home I saw lots of plastic bags that had blown into trees.

“It’s bad that people drop litter because animals might get stuck and they might suffocate. It’s not good for the planet. They should put it in the bin.

“I really enjoyed litter picking because I like to help save the world. More people should pick it up because then there would be less rubbish. I’m going to keep doing it.”

Luca said everyone should help pick up rubbish, and when asked what he would do if he saw someone dropping it, he said:

“I will tell the police officers and the bin lorry men, because then they will come and pick it up in their truck.”

Campaign

The campaign, which was launched in support of environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy’s Great British Spring Clean 2022, has seen dozens of families and companies in the area join in and help Keep Yorkshire Tidy this Spring – for the environment and their wellbeing.

Harrogate Spring Water led the charge to clear the region’s streets, paths and public spaces of litter through their campaign, offering local businesses free litter picking kits to encourage staff to take a break in the fresh air, while doing something positive within their community.

The company enlisted the help of actress Natalie Anderson, Harrogate Town FC and its own workforce in its bid to encourage families, community groups and residents to play their part.

Natalie Anderson, known for her starring roles in Emmerdale and Hollyoaks, also took part in a litter pick in Harrogate as part of the campaign.

She said:

“Litter picking is one of the easiest ways we can all take care of our community and the beautiful Yorkshire countryside.

“I know from conversations with my son how important the environment is to the younger generation, and getting involved in this campaign is a great way for parents to lead by example in protecting the planet.”

Positive action

The company is also encouraging people to join Harrogate Borough Council’s series of organised anti-litter drives as they look to make the area an even better place to live by clearing up litter and encouraging people to recycle more.

The campaign was launched in the wake of the research commissioned by Harrogate Spring Water and carried out by iconic children’s comic The Beano.

The company hopes that by joining in the litter picking drive, families can take positive action on the environment and the next generation can learn more about how they can play their part in keeping waste out of nature and in the recycling stream.

‘Proud to call Harrogate home’

James Cain OBE, managing director at Harrogate Spring Water, said:

“We are proud to call Harrogate home. By coming together as a community to keep our historic town looking beautiful, we have taken positive action for the present as well as honouring Harrogate’s commitment for future generations.

“We’re passionate about preventing littering, but also about ensuring as much can be recycled as possible.

“Whether it’s recycling and reusing wherever possible or taking a break in the fresh air to tidy up our streets and green spaces, we’re continuing to work together to keep Harrogate beautiful and litter-free.”

To find out more about the campaign and to play your part, head to http://www.harrogatespring.com/lunchtimelitterpick

Calls for ‘European-style’ waste collection in Harrogate district

Waste and recycling managers have been asked to consider introducing ‘European-style’ waste collection systems in North Yorkshire.

Under the proposed radical overhaul, residents in the Harrogate district could get central points to deposit their waste.

A meeting of North Yorkshire County Council’s transport, economy and environment scrutiny committee was told that the new unitary authority, which will begin in 2023, represents an opportunity to “work better in terms of waste minimisation”.

In some European countries, waste is deposited into a central skip buried underground with a post box-style top.

Councillors were told the scheme could benefit urban areas and where people live closely together, such as North Yorkshire’s coastal villages, but in rural areas there would be issues over where the skip was sited.

Officers commented while such a scheme would put an increased onus on residents to consider the waste they were producing, it would also be a “cultural shock”.

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Conservative councillor for Ribbelsdale, David Staveley, replied that 10 years ago, it would have been “unheard of” to have electric vehicle charging points, solar panels or ground source heat pumps in new-build homes.

He said with central waste skips residents would not have to find space for the growing list of separate bins.

Cllr Staveley said:

“It’s not good enough just to say people might get a bit shocked. People get shocked about a lot of things in life, but I think the world has moved on in the last couple of years and we are open to all sorts of new ideas.”

Conservative councillor for Harrogate Bilton and Nidd Gorge, Paul Haslam, said he supported a more “radical” approach to waste due to the amount of new homes being built in the county.

He said:

“I fully support a more radical approach, particularly as between now and 2025 there are probably going to be about 20% more houses built.”

Harrogate council to trial recycling wheelie bins

Harrogate Borough Council has announced it will trial the use of wheelie bins for recycling, just days after appearing to pour cold water on the idea.

Recent articles by the Stray Ferret have highlighted concerns by residents about the amount of recycling left out for collection blown across streets.

They prompted many people to call on the council to introduce wheelie bins with lids.

However, a spokesperson for the council suggested this month it might not be possible. They said wheelie bins could lead to “higher contamination rates”, adding:

“Another challenge we would need to overcome is the wagons used for collection. At the moment they cater for black boxes so any change would require adaptation of the fleet.”

Last week, The Stray Ferret published a video that appeared to contradict the council’s claim.

The video showed council workers emptying recycling from black boxes into garden waste wheelie bins and then into the refuse trucks.

After showing the footage to the council, a spokesperson said it had 10 bin lorries and only two could operate wheelie bins.

recycling rubbish. Pic Christina Clarkson

This photo posted on Facebook by Christina Clarkson highlighted the problem.

Following this article, a source contacted the Stray Ferret to say the council was introducing 7,000 recycling wheelie bins in unspecified pilot areas across the district and was unsure why the council was not being upfront about this.

This was confirmed yesterday by David Houlgate, branch secretary of the public sector trade union Unison, who said the move was “long overdue”.

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Mr Houlgate said wheelie bins would be introduced for tins, cans, glass and plastic. Paper and card would still be collected in blue bags.

The Stray Ferret asked the council about this yesterday. The council did not reply but instead released a statement on social media today saying “we will be launching a trial scheme to replace black recycling boxes with wheelie bins” this year. It said:

“For some time we’ve been looking at how we could improve our kerbside scheme. We’ll be trialling the wheelie bins in certain areas with different types of properties, areas of high recycling rates, and will use the data to influence an approach later in the year.pilots are underway.”

The full statement is below.

We know you are increasingly conscious of the environment and have been recycling more year on year.

Later in the year (date to be confirmed) we will be launching a trial scheme to replace black recycling boxes with wheelie bins.

Find out more below… ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/qGBxAjcLnI

— Harrogate Borough Council (@Harrogatebc) February 23, 2022

Video contradicts Harrogate council’s claim about wheelie bins and recycling

A video sent to the Stray Ferret appears to contradict Harrogate Borough Council‘s claim that its fleet of bin wagons can not accept wheelie bins for recycling.

Currently, residents in the Harrogate district use blue bags to recycle paper and card and lidless black boxes for tins, plastic and glass.

In some other areas of the country, people use large wheelie bins for recycling.

Today’s storm has once again see recycling left out for collection blown across streets, prompting some residents on social media to call on the council to introduce wheelie bins.

A spokesperson for the council said this month this was not possible. They said:

“Another challenge we would need to overcome is the wagons used for collection. At the moment they cater for black boxes so any change would require adaptation of the fleet.”

However, the video, which was taken in Harrogate this week and sent to us by a resident, shows council workers emptying recycling from black boxes into garden waste wheelie bins and then into the refuse trucks.

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There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by the bin workers, who are clearly carrying out their jobs efficiently.

After showing the footage to the council, a spokesperson said it operated 10 bin lorries and only two could operate wheelie bins.

Writing today on the Bilton Community Group Facebook page, Matt Scott, the Conservative councillor for Harrogate Bilton Woodfield, explained why the council prefers to use black boxes over wheelie bins.

He wrote:

“When recycling is processed the clean plastic etc. is sold on with the money raised going into council services. Dirty recycling has to go to landfill as it can not be processed. In Harrogate less than one per cent of our plastic goes to landfill. Much of this is down to us all cleaning the recycling before it goes into the box.

“Councils that use wheelie bins have much higher landfill rates often of around 15%. Recycling wheelie bins are often treated simply as bins with the contents not cleaned before being put in. This means higher costs for the council and more landfill waste. I do not want to see either of that happening locally.

“The issue is not as straightforward as it may seem. Any changes would require significant expense for the bins themselves though also changes to how it is collected. This may mean new vehicles, changing routes and working patterns for existing refuse collectors. Any change to bins I would expect to be trialled first in certain areas to see if our excellent plastic purity rates are maintained. If they are not we would be spending money to lose even more money and send more to landfill.”

Harrogate council responds to calls for recycling wheelie bins

Harrogate Borough Council has responded to calls to introduce recycling wheelie bins, which were backed by 200 residents.

The Stray Ferret asked readers whether they would welcome the change after last weekend’s storms blew recycling left out for collection across streets throughout the district.

We received an overwhelming response to the question on our Facebook and Twitter pages. Of 200 comments, the vast majority were supportive of the proposal.

Currently residents in the Harrogate district use blue bags to recycle paper and card and a black box for tins, plastic and glass.

In some other areas of the country run, people use large wheelie bins for recycling.

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Given the level of support for the change, we asked Harrogate Borough Council if it would be possible to roll out recycling wheelie bins. A spokesperson for the council said:

“Using wheelie bins for recycling can in some instances lead to higher contamination rates (items presented that can’t be recycled). So any changes would need to be carefully considered.

“Another challenge we would need to overcome is the wagons used for collection. At the moment they cater for black boxes so any change would require adaptation of the fleet.”

“Recycling rates have increased significantly across the Harrogate district year-on-year and the current contamination rates are less than one per cent. This community effort ensures our recycling is high-quality and easily accepted at the processing sites so we’d like to say a massive thank you to the residents for always going above and beyond to help us and our crews.”

Council reveals Christmas and New Year bin collection times

Christmas and New Year bin collection dates have been announced by Harrogate Borough Council.

The new arrangements cover the period between December 20 and January 14 when residents’ rubbish and recycling will be collected on earlier or later dates depending on their usual slots.

There will be no collections on December 27 and 28, or January 3.

The festive period is a busy time for collection crews with more waste being produced than any other time of year.

A lot of this waste can be recycled or reused, so residents are being urged by the council to make an extra effort and recycle all that they can this Christmas and New Year.

Cllr Andy Paraskos, cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling at the council, said:

“It may not be the number one priority for some residents during the festive period. But this year there will be changes to waste and recycling collections.

“Some collections will be earlier so I’d urge residents to check their waste and ensure it is presented before 7am on collection day.

“I’d also like to encourage residents to recycle as much as possible by checking what can and can’t be recycled.”

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Collections will be made on the following dates:

What can be recycled?

Collection crews don’t usually accept materials that won’t fit in a black box or blue bag, but they will take this extra recycling over the festive period.

Residents will need to sort these extra items in clear plastic bags so crews can see what is inside.

Items that can’t be recycled at the kerbside – including electrical items and toys – can be taken to one of the three household waste recycling centres in the Harrogate district.

The sites on Harrogate’s Wetherby Road and Penny Pot Lane, and Ripon’s Dallamires Crescent, will be open between 8.30am and 4pm everyday except Wednesdays, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

Anyone who is unsure about their usual collection dates should go to www.harrogate.gov.uk/inmyarea

Harrogate district recycling centres appeal for Christmas toys for kids

Harrogate district residents are being urged to donate toys and games at household waste recycling centres in the run up to Christmas.

The aim is to collect 10 tonnes of items, which will be passed on to young people, aged up to 16, who are experiencing hardship this Christmas.

The Re-use Santa Appeal is working with No Wrong Door, which supports young people in or on the edge of the care system at centres in Harrogate and Scarborough, on the initiative.

No Wrong Door replaces traditional council-run young people’s homes with hubs that combine residential care with fostering.

Staff at the county’s recycling centres, which are operated by Yorwaste on behalf of North Yorkshire County Council and City of York Council, will ensure donations are in good working condition before they are delivered to children.

The gifts will be given as part of a Christmas family bag to families in North Yorkshire and York. Surplus items will be distributed to other charities.

There are three recycling centres in the Harrogate district: on Wetherby Road and Penny Pot Lane in Harrogate and on Dallamires Crescent in Ripon. Drop-off points are located by the containers for household reusable items. Donations will be accepted until December 15.

The sites are also taking donations of new or part-used Christmas wrapping paper and tape as part of the appeal.

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County Councillor Derek Bastiman, executive member for waste management at North Yorkshire County Council, said:

“Christmas is a time of good will. So we’re asking families who can to add a little light to the festive season this year for many children who are less fortunate.

“I encourage people to check their cupboards for any unwanted toys and games and to donate them in the confidence that their items will go to a good home.”

Last Christmas, people donated more than 2,000 games, toys, puzzles and books, including air hockey tables, dolls’ houses, Nerf guns, bicycles and giant teddy bears.

Cllr Paula Widdowson, executive member for environment and climate change at City of York Council, added:

“It’s critical the donations are clean, well-cared for and in full working order. Thank you once again to everyone who supports this appeal.”