FOLLOWING a successful pilot scheme, a recycling service is to be rolled out to tenants and residents in high rise flats across Thurrock.

From tomorrow (Tuesday,15 September) Thurrock Council will start to roll out recycling facilities to high-rise and low-rise blocks - a programme that will continue to expand throughout 2020 and 2021.

Council tenants and leaseholders will be the first to benefit, while the second phase will focus on recycling facilities for private flats. A tailored scheme will commence in the first half of 2021 for flats above shops or other commercial premises.

Residents will receive a recycling pack containing a reusable recycling bag and information about what to expect when their block of flats receives new recycling Eurobins or wheeled bins, making it as easy as possible for them to recycle.

Cllr Aaron Watkins, cabinet member for environment, said: "I am really happy to see the continuation of this program, following the successful pilot which ran last year. The budget for this was committed following that pilot but the launch of the scheme has been delayed because of impacts caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

"I have always been committed to seeing improvements in recycling within our borough and this will give more residents the ability to do just that. By introducing recycling in high-rise and low-rise blocks of flats, this move will take us another step closer to achieving this goal.

"We will continue to work on reducing waste as recycling brings so many benefits such as saving energy, conserving raw materials, transforming old products into new packaging and protecting ecosystems.

"This latest opportunity is one of many that we offer to our residents alongside other residential collections, the Linford HWRC and public recycling bins. I look forward to seeing what the next half of 2020 and 2021 brings for recycling in Thurrock."