| Somerset Council is launching its ‘Recycling Week’ with a celebration as their latest recycling tracker shows the county’s recycling rate reaching new heights. The tracker shows the Somerset’s recycling rate reaching its highest ever level at 56.4%.
First pioneered by Somerset Waste Partnership in 2008, the tracker shows what happens to every tonne of household waste – where it goes, the companies involved and its likely use as new packaging and products. The tracker shows that in 2022/23 more than 142,500 tonnes of material was collected for recycling and reuse, and of that 96.6% stayed in the UK for reprocessing – including 54.4% staying in Somerset. Of the 6,500 tonnes of plastic collected, the full 100% went to UK based reprocessors. The amount of waste going to landfill was 6,444 tonnes – almost half the weight going to landfill in 2021/22 – with 103,897 tonnes going to Energy from Waste. Through the recycling efforts of Somerset residents, an impressive 125,254 tonnes of carbon was saved. This is the equivalent of taking 48,175 cars off the road for a year. Other key figures include: · 23,270 tonnes of food waste was collected – all of which stays in Somerset, going to an anaerobic digestion plant to be turned into biofertilizer to be used on agricultural land and biogas which is used to generate electricity. · 41,330 tonnes of garden waste was collected – all of which stays in Somerset, going to Walpole, Dimmer and Priorswood to be composted, ready for use on gardens and farms. · 4,096 tonnes of electricals and batteries recycled in the UK, and an additional 3.5 tonnes of smart tech donated for reuse via Fixy. During Somerset’s Recycling Week residents will be encouraged to help recycle and reduce even more by seeking out the hidden recyclables in their home alongside, tips and guidance. The week kicked-off with a day of behind-the-scenes tours of the ‘Material Recycling Facility’ – or MRF – at Evercreech, run by Suez, the council’s collections contractor. The open day allowed one hundred locals the chance to see how recycling lorries mechanically empty each compartment of recycling material. This also includes sorting machinery, separating plastics from tins and cans which are mixed in the blue bags. Residents can read the full recycling tracker report on Somerset Council’s website: www.somerset.gov.uk/recycling-tracker/. For recycle week updates follow @somersetwaste on Facebook and X (formerly known as Twitter). |
| For more information, please contact the Press Office on 01823 355020 or email pressoffice@somerset.gov.uk. |
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management of Wootton Ridge
Forestry England’s John Ebsary, Forester for Exmoor and Quantocks, has offered a site visit on Thursday 5th October 2023. John will explain Forestry England’s plans for the ongoing management of Wootton Ridge.We would like to make up a group of maximum 16 people from both our Parishes (Wootton Courtenay and Timberscombe). We will meet at Wootton Church and it will be a 4km walk. Those attending do not have to be Parish Councillors.If you are interested in taking part please contact Katy Attwater ( Chair of Timberscombe Parish Council) to register for a place aOpen detailed view
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Updates
Somerset Business Newsletter 15.09.23
Benefice Newsletter 15th September 2023
| Police Notice
Please take a moment to view the attached documents regarding Lithium-Ion battery Fire safety if you have an ebike. Kind regards, Paul Johnson, NHW Admin Attachments: e-bike-e-scooter-fire-safety.pdf |
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Make Your Views Heard
Dear All, Somerset Council is carrying out a public consultation on a set of planning policy principles that would steer new development in Somerset. This is a rare opportunity for all bus users to influence planning policy and ensure that new developments encourage the use of sustainable transport rather relying on the assumption that everyone uses a car.
The proposals are aimed at prioritising sustainable methods of transport and reducing the need to travel, but they overlook the need to ensure that the developments can be served safely, adequately and efficiently by bus routes. There’s a need to ensure that there are safe, well-lit paths to bus stops too.
Also, developers should be required to fund new and improved bus stop infrastructure as well as providing revenue support for new bus services for the first few years of operation.
The Somerset Bus Partnership is drafting a detailed response but I encourage all bus user groups and your members to do so too, particularly if there are examples you can cite on your local patch where previous planning decisions have had a detrimental impact on the ability of bus operators to provide a bus service to the development (such as a superstore set well away from main road bus stops but with a large car park just in front of it, or a linear housing development along a lengthy cul-de-sac).
Full details can be found via the link below and the closing date is 16th October 2023.
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reminder we have an exmoor sheep history talk next monday! see ewe there..
Timberscombe 