As part of its kerbside recycling scheme, Norfolk County Council has since October allowed householders to put glass in their grey bins.
 
However, Town Clerk Jo Boxall said that, for the October-December quarter, glass volumes from Reepham’s glass recycling banks were down by 50%.
 
This means the Town Council will be unable to offer as many grants to local groups and support events in the future, as the money received from glass recycling goes back into the community by way of grant awards, she explained.
 
The income from the recycling banks is kept in a separate reserve account for the sole purpose of awarding grants to local groups and organisations.
 
“If residents understood the financial benefit that putting their glass in the recycling banks has for their community, maybe they will be encouraged to continue supporting the glass banks,” said Mrs Boxall.
 
“By recycling glass they are supporting local groups like the Day Care Centre in St Michaels, Rayzone Youth Club, the Methodist Church, the Reepham Society, Reepham Good Neighbours Scheme, the Citizens Advice Bureau, Reepham Festival of Light and World Tree Partnership (the Town Council sponsored a talk as part of the Festival of Archaeology).”
 
All of these groups received grant funding in 2014 totalling more than £6,200 owing to a healthy reserve and income from recycling, she pointed out.
 
Norfolk County Council hopes its new recycling service will increase household recycling by 5-10% across the county. Of course, it is a good thing if more people recycle and it is better to use the grey bins instead of sending recyclable waste to landfill.
 
“I understand it is easier for residents to put glass in their grey bins, but there is no benefit to Reepham in doing so,” added Mrs Boxall. “Using the glass banks is a small thing that everyone can do to support the local community.”
 
Broadland District Council will no longer manage the glass recycling banks across the district and pay recycling credits to Town Councils after 1 April, so Reepham Town Council has decided to take over this responsibility to continue receiving the income.
 
Norfolk County Council currently pays around £52 per tonne for glass (which is due to increase in April) and the Town Council pays the glass contractor £15 per tonne for the use, maintenance and emptying of the bottle banks, thus receiving around £37 per tonne in income.
 
The Town Council is closely monitoring the amount of glass recycled to ensure the scheme remains viable. Hopefully, it will not get to a point, as in Sprowston, where the glass banks are unsupported and are being removed.
 
Residents are also encouraged to support the paper and textile banks at Station Road car park as these also provide valuable income of around £500 per annum, which is used in the same way as the glass recycling credits.
 
There are bottle banks at Stimpson’s Piece and The Crown, as well as Station Road car park.

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