RESIDENTS living in flats in the West Somerset and Wellington areas will be able to recycle more materials from home under Somerset Council’s changes to services for households which have communal recycling collections.

The changes will begin in March for about 13,000 households across the county, including residents living in flats or other types of communal accommodation.

The collections are being introduced in line with the Government’s new ‘Simpler Recycling’ regulations, meaning wherever somebody lives or works, the same set of materials will be collected for recycling.

Under the existing regulations, households could have up to seven recycling bins.

The new, more streamlined, system involves four containers for non-recyclable waste, food waste, including garden waste, paper and card, and all other dry recyclable material including plastic, metal, and glass.

Residents who have a communal recycling collection will soon receive a leaflet in the post letting them know about the changes and when the new system will come into force in their area.

Under the changes, residents will be able to recycle plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, tins, cans, foil and aerosols, glass bottles and jars, cartons, food waste, and plastic bags and wrappers.

Somerset executive Cllr Richard Wilkins said: “We are looking forward to rolling out these significant improvements to recycling for residents in flats and other communal properties.

“By expanding the types of materials we collect and making recycling easier, with new bins and food waste caddies, we will be helping everybody do their bit for the environment.

“We will be writing to everybody affected by the changes.

“If you do not hear from us, then there will be no changes to your waste collections.”

The new collections will begin from the end of March.

The improvements are funded by the Government’s ‘Simpler Recycling’ programme, ensuring consistency in recycling across the country.