Domestic Re-Cycling
Prior to 2003, every year 22,000 tons of rubbish in Ryedale were collected and taken to Landfill sites. Voluntary re-cycling (taking your items to the bottle banks etc) amounted to 1600 tons.
Now (2007) 12,000 tons are taken to landfill and 10,700 tons re-cycled.
In one week there are 2670 miles travelled by the refuse collection vehicles. At 4 miles per gallon they use approximately 700gallons. Re-cycling vehicles travelling the same route are using 7-8 mpg. To put it another way – with a fortnightly collection system 5,340miles travelled using approximately 1100 gallons.
In 2002 it cost approximately £20.00 per ton to dump in landfill.
In 2007 add the Landfill Tax (£24.00) and it now costs £20.00 + £24.00 = £44.00 per ton to dump in landfill.
By 2010 the tax will be £48.00 per ton. £20.00 + £48.00 = £68.00 per ton to dump into landfill.
The Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme
In 2007 North Yorkshire County Council gets 190,000 tons of rubbish (RDC collects it, NYCC disposes of it)
By 2020 the Government says this has to reduce to 67,000 tons.
Each year has a target set which NYCC has to reach. If it doesn’t EVERY ton over the target they will have to pay £150.00
So, now you have your original cost of £20.00 + Tax of £48.00 + £150.00 if over target. This now makes a grand total of approximately £220.00 (TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY POUNDS) per ton to dump - ten times what it costs now!
So you see, fortnightly collections save money on diesel (only two trips), generate income from re-cycled materials AND don’t send as much rubbish to landfill at a cost of £24.00 tax per ton extra the ratepayer would have to pay.
Of course, anybody could have the service they wanted, as long as they were prepared to pay for it. Have your bin emptied as many times as you like. But every single route adds 2670 miles. Don’t re-cycle anything at all, just throw everything straight into your bin – but be prepared to pay the bill: at 190,000 tons that adds up to heck of a lot of YOUR money to find.
'The Rubbish Film'