South Cambs paper caddies to be removed

South Cambridgeshire District Council has said that paper caddies will stop being used from mid-December in an attempt to simplify the recycling process.

It is hoped that the move will save taxpayers around £670,000 during the next seven years, compared to the existing system, due to fewer waste collection vehicles needed, with trucks expected to cover approximately 26,000 fewer miles per year on South Cambridgeshire’s roads than the current arrangement.

The change will therefore also lead to lower fuel costs and reduced CO2 emissions.

Mark Howell, cabinet member for Environmental Services, said: “We wanted to give residents as much notice as possible about this upcoming change, and we will continue to keep them informed as we approach 11 December. Up until that date, residents can continue to use their paper caddies as they will remain part of our collection system for now.

“However, as this change is not far off, we won’t be delivering any new paper caddies to replace those that are lost, so residents falling into this category now can begin putting paper in their blue bins right away. Even though we are making this change, remember paper is still recycled when placed in the blue bin, as it gets sorted from other materials at our plant near Waterbeach. It then gets sold onto paper mills and made into new paper products, so residents can rest assured they are still helping the environment.”