Conwy County Borough Council in the UK has announced the launch of a new cardboard recycling initiative for its residents.
The scheme involves the distribution of specialised recycling bags designed to facilitate the weekly collection of cardboard waste alongside other recyclables.
The recycling bags, which are expected for delivery to households this month, have a capacity of 72 litres and feature a self-fastening lid to ensure the cardboard remains dry.
This design is intended to streamline the recycling process, allowing the crews to collect the bags during their routine rounds of 'trolibocs' and food waste bins.
Conwy County Borough Council Neighbourhood and the Environment cabinet member Geoff Stewart said: "Since the pandemic, with the rise in online shopping and home deliveries, we’re now collecting an additional 214 tonnes of cardboard in a year.
"We introduced extra vehicles and drivers to collect large cardboard that didn’t fit in the trolibocs or the recycling truck. The recycling crew would collect up cardboard and leave it in piles for the extra vehicles, but we weren’t always able to collect all this cardboard on the same day.
"The new cardboard recycling bag means that residents know how much cardboard they can put out on recycling day, and they know it will be taken away. And our crews have space on their trucks for this set amount of cardboard, so we don’t need extra vehicles, which will make the service more cost-effective.”
The council has advised residents to break down and tear up their cardboard to increase the bag's capacity.
Meanwhile, those with excess cardboard can hold it for the following week's collection or dispose of it at Household Recycling Centres without charge.