A TOTAL of 6.1 tonnes of plastic has been recycled from flats across Colchester after extra recycling boxes were rolled out in October.

Colchester Council said it is pleased with how the roll out has gone, with the amount of plastic which has been collected being equivalent to the weight of an elephant.

During the first phase of introducing plastic recycling facilities to flats, 545 communal bins have been delivered to 473 locations, providing 7,330 flats in the borough with this new service.

Residents with these facilities are asked to simply wash and squash their recyclable plastics and place them in their communal bin, which is collected weekly.

The scheme was introduced following the Cabinet’s decision in June to extend the collection of plastic recycling to flats and provide those living in flats with the same plastic recycling service as other residents.

Increasing plastic recycling facilities is also helping to reduce the amount of rubbish sent to landfill. 

Martin Goss (Lib Dem), councillor responsible for waste, said: “The first phase of introducing plastic recycling facilities in flats has gone incredibly well and we’re now talking to other private management companies to try and implement these and other recycling facilities in as many of the outstanding flat developments in the borough as possible.”

The introduction of these facilities supports the council’s Better Colchester campaign which aims to make Colchester a better place to live, work and visit.

Between April and June this year, Colchester residents recycled an average of 58 per cent of rubbish.

The new waste policy introduced last year saw a move to fortnightly black bag collections which are capped to three per household.

Some homes were given wheelie bins while food waste is still collected weekly and recycling types alternate each week.

Information about what plastics can and cannot be recycled in the borough is available at colchester.gov.uk/recycling.