GREENER BOROUGH
@eastleighbc
5
Cheers! To green and better recycling collections
Local children Freddie and Flo from Horton Heath, with oak seedlings
Tree nursery to help tackle climate crisis The Council will create and operate a new tree nursery to help towards our aim of planting 160,000 trees in the Borough by 2030. As part of its Climate and Environmental Emergency programme, the Council’s Cabinet gave the green light to plans for the nursery, which will ensure a supply of native broadleaf trees, as well as hedging plants and fruiting trees. We are engaging with the Woodland Trust to maximise the environmental and ecological potential of the
nursery. It also unveiled plans for a tree sponsorship scheme.
terms of absorbing carbon dioxide, together with reducing urban temperatures, preventing flooding, capturing pollution and supporting biodiversity.”
Council Leader, Cllr Keith House, said: “By creating our own tree nursery and planting programme we are providing the opportunity to grow native tree species from seed using our own staff. The benefits of planting trees are well known in
When the first seeds and saplings are planted in the nursery later this year, we are keen that local families, community groups and schoolchildren are involved. Keep an eye on www.eastleigh.gov.uk for more details.
As part of a drive to make waste collections more reliable, efficient and environmentally friendly, We are carrying out a three-month pilot to change the way waste is collected. Over 6,000 households across the Borough have been selected to take part in the pilot, which will see their glass box collected on the same day as their green bin – every two weeks. Currently glass is collected once a month, but by collecting it in the lorry’s pod, usually used for food waste, waste teams will be able to collect glass twice as regularly. That means sometimes heavy glass boxes will be emptier and easier to move for both residents and our waste crews. For operational reasons, food waste collections were paused during the coronavirus pandemic. Now we are looking to reinstate the service but before doing so we want to make it as efficient, inclusive and green as possible. For those in the pilot areas, food waste will be collected by a smaller low-carbon, low pollution vehicle. Food will still be collected every week on the usual bin day and, for the first time, people in flats will now also be able to recycle their food waste too.
Access your bin collection dates online Visit www.eastleigh.gov.uk/bincollectiondates Residents offline can call our Customer Service Centre 023 8068 8000
The pilot is due to start in October and, if successful, residents across the Borough can expect the improved food waste service and fortnightly glass collections to be introduced sometime next year. If you live in one of the pilot areas, you’ll be sent a letter with more information.
