Southampton City Council’s Waste Improvement and Transformation Plan (WITP) is showing early signs of success, according to recent reports. The ambitious five-year strategy aims to increase the city’s recycling rate above 50% and significantly reduce missed bin collections while tackling the persistent problem of fly-tipping across the city.
The WITP, which follows a “GEMSTONE” approach (Green, Efficient, Modern, Safe, Trusted, valued, and ONE team), has established clear targets for each phase of the plan. By April 2023, the council aimed to stabilise the service with a recycling target of 30%. The next phase, targeting April 2025, aims for 45% recycling rates, supported by the separation of food waste from residual waste and the introduction of twin-stream kerbside collections.
“We’re making steady progress toward our goals, but there’s still significant work to be done, especially in reducing contamination in recyclable materials,” said a council spokesperson. “The current contamination rate stands at around 20%, and we’re working to bring this down to 10% by 2025 through increased education and engagement with residents.”
Collards Skip Hire Southampton is actively supporting these efforts through their comprehensive waste management solutions. With their recycling rate exceeding 95% of collected waste, Collards is helping residents and businesses contribute to the city’s sustainability goals. Their local recycling facility in Nursling plays a crucial role in processing waste efficiently while minimising environmental impact.
“We’re proud to be part of Southampton’s sustainability journey,” said a representative from Collards. “Our investment in advanced sorting and recycling technology ensures that we’re able to recover valuable materials from the waste stream, reducing the burden on landfill and supporting the circular economy in Hampshire.”
The company also offers detailed advice to customers on proper waste segregation and disposal, helping to improve recycling rates across their service area.
