A one thousand home trial of reusable rubbish sacks that it is believed could be impregnable to urban gulls and animals will start on Thursday 20th September 2012.
The two month trial is intended to see whether the bags are successful in stopping scavengers and inform the Council whether a wider, permanent scheme would result in reducing the mess caused by birds and animals when the scavenge for food in normal rubbish sacks.
Council staff will be contacting residents in the city centre before collections are due to start encouraging them to play their part in the trial and giving them a reinforced sack for free together with information on how to use it. They will be asked to tie up the black plastic sacks or carrier bags they use for their rubbish and place these in the new reusable bag and then put this out on their usual collection day.
Councillor David Dixon (Lib-Dem, Walcot), Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said, “This is a crucial first step towards Bath & North East Somerset Council tackling the cause of much of the litter people see on our streets early in the morning. These sacks are extremely robust and should work well. We really need people to take an active part in this trial so that we can learn lessons about how a more extensive system might work.
“For those homes not involved in the trial, they can also play their part in combating birds and animals raiding their rubbish bags and causing litter eyesores by using their food waste container.”
Twenty-three Bath city centre streets are covered by the trial, including New King Street, Rivers Street, Royal Crescent and Bennett Street.
The trial has been given support by the Circus Area Residents’ Association (CARA). Robin Jackson said, “Our organisation is delighted that the Council has decided to proceed and welcomes the opportunity to participate in this trial. Its success will depend on obtaining extensive feedback from as many of the participants as possible. CARA acknowledges that huge strides have recently been made in the clean-up of the city centre with the new equipment and working methods now being deployed by the Council’s excellent Neighbourhood Services Team. This team now enjoys the considerable additional support being given by the Business Improvement District Rangers.”
