The District Council has a recycling partnership with a company called Essex Textiles. As the District Council website explains here:
Essex Textiles will continue to operate a textiles recycling service, collecting materials such as clothes, curtains, bedding, towels, handbags, hats, cloths, belts and paired shoes. Textiles will be collected from houses in the District on the same day as their grey recyclables bins, and weekly from flats alongside their refuse. Essex Textiles will also collect textiles from residential homes and the collection details can be provided by the relevant warden.
The textiles that are collected in this way count towards the council’s recycling figures, which means we get more money from ‘recycling credits’, so the district benefits as a whole.
However, there is a problem. Other people are snatching the bags before they are collected. One Rayleigh resident told us today:
…..I placed our new blue bag full of clothing items on our drive this morning alongside the recycling bin for the very first time. I have a day off work today and noticed at around 9am a man standing on our drive on his mobile phone, continuing to pace up and down the pavement outside our property, even leaning against our fence, whilst continuing to chat on the phone. Our dog was barking madly and, even though I went out onto the drive, he still stood there, looking at our blue bag, holding, what looked like white leaflets. This went on for about 15 mins and he then picked up the blue bag, crossed the road and walked off. …
This is not the only instance and we believe the police have got involved on occasions. Meanwhile the District Council is taking steps to counter this. If you see any cases of textile theft, please phone Rochford District Council’s Recycling Officer Jade Austin on 01702_318099 ext. 3606 or email her at Jade.Austin@rochford.gov.uk .
I have aked for information on this matter of clothes recycling. The fact is that some residents think that money from this goes to charities. This is not so. Last year Essex Textiles did give a voluntary donation to the Chairman’s charity of £1,000. They were under no obligation to do so. What I asked information on was how long does the comntract run for and how much was the winning tender. Can anyone enlighten me as after 2 weeks info. is not with me. Note textiles etc are now 60p a kilo I wonder what is was when the contract was signed?
Good points there, Bruce. I’ve asked some questions myself now.
Good to know that in one day Chris. can receive the information that I have tried to obtain for nearly one month.
I’ve received the following from the District Council:
This still does not answer the question as to whether the amount paid rises with the increased value of recycled textiles.
I have received my reply from R.D.C. on the 6th Dec. My request went in on the 24th of Nov. Have asked a follow up question and wait to see how long it will take for a reply. Surely the income from this will be shown in the R.D.C. end of year financial statement? If not is there another issue here?
Good news in that I received a reply within 24 hours and it contained most of the information I required.