One of our members reacts to the announcement that Basingstoke and Deane Council is considering switching to fortnightly collections of the “grey bin” (non-recycleable rubbish):
Here’s an interesting conundrum.
Basingstoke has a terrible record in waste and recycling. Last time we looked (a wrote to the Gazette about it) Basingstoke had one of the highest levels of household waste production and one of the lowest rates of recycling.
Alternative week collection (AWC) is one of the few proven ways of both increasing recycling rates and reducing household waste. However a key component is a separate food waste collection.
Basingstoke Council are proposing to move to the AWC but without separate food waste collection. In my view we should support the Council in its proposal to move to AWC but ask for a food waste collection as well. 
The Gazette is running the story, with an online vote http://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/news/15016381.Bin_collections_could_go_FORTNIGHTLY_in_Basingstoke_as_part_of_council_cuts/ (but I couldn’t get the voting button to work, so I added a post – Ed.). The main response so far is seemingly along the lines “How dare the Council stop me throwing stuff away – that’s my right”
A report by the House of Commons is attached. What do we think should be BTN’s position on this? Do we support it. If not what are we going to do about waste and recycling in Basingstoke? Post your answers here or on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TransitionBasingstoke/?ref=bookmarks
Link to copy of House of Commons policy document on alternate-week bin collection: