Brown bins hit town and country

Now it's the turn of rural residents to get their new recycling bins.

Jim and Joan Tatham of Fence are looking forward to receiving their bin this week.

Mrs Tatham, who runs a dairy farm with her husband, said :

"We're very keen on recycling in our house.

"I think the brown bins should make it easier for us to recycle.

"It's a good idea from Pendle Council.

"And I'm glad we don't have to bother with the blue bags anymore!"

Residents no longer have to sort their plastic bottles from their glass and cans.

They all go into the new brown bins, and are sorted by machine at a recycling plant.

Councillor John David, who represents recycling in Pendle, said :

"For some of our rural residents the collection day for rubbish and recycling may have changed - check your calendar if you're unsure.

"The other change in rural areas only is that the green garden waste bin will now be collected on the same day as the grey bin.

"Then the brown bin, plus the green boxes of paper and cardboard, will be collected on the alternate week.

"This does not apply to people living in our main urban areas."

The initial roll out of brown bins is due to be completed by Friday 2nd October.

Start using yours as soon as it arrives and put it out on your next recycling collection day.

Collections of the brown bins have already begun in many urban parts of Pendle, and are going well.

Colne resident Stanley Nutter, who modelled for the Recycle More for Pendle campaign, has welcomed the change.

Mr Nutter, who lives on a terraced street, said :

"I used to have to carry the green box of recycling through the house as it was collected from the front.

"For a start, with glass and cans in it was quite heavy.

"Plus, if it had been raining, it meant rainwater would drip on the carpets all through the house!

"Now all I have to do is put all our recycling out on the back street. Simple, really!"

59% of homes in Pendle are terraced -that's 24,000 homes.

For many of these homes, the recycling doesn't have to be taken to the front street anymore.

Some residents of terraced houses, for example those without a back street, still have collection points for putting out their recycling and their rubbish.

If you're unsure about where to put out your recycling for collection, you can check with the Council by calling (01282) 661743 or email operational.services@pendle.gov.uk.