WEST Devon Borough Council will be providing information on the changes to waste collection at an event in Tavistock’s Bedford Square on Thursday (April 12).

The council will be showing the public their new higher capacity recycling vehicles, while members of West Devon Borough Council’s waste team will be on hand to answer any questions on why these vehicles are a positive, how they will help to boost the recycling rate and any general enquiries on recycling people may have.

The mayor of West Devon Borough Council and the lead member for commercial services will be in Bedford Square to launch the new recycling vehicles, which will be in operation around the district from Monday (April 16).

These purpose designed trucks with an internal crushing capacity for card will enable the recycling teams to process more waste without the need to return to the depot as frequently.

The economically friendly vehicles are replacing an old and costly fleet which has come to the end of its operational life. 

The separate waste compartments on the new vehicles are organised in a way that will enable the operators to process the waste in a more fluid and streamlined way.

From April 16, residents are being asked to present their recycling in two boxes with plastic bottles and cans in one box and paper, glass, card, batteries and clothes in the other. For those who don’t have room for more than one box, plastic bottles and cans could be put out one week with the other recyclable items the next.

This will enable the operators to swiftly separate the waste at the kerb side in the most effective way possible. 

Cllr Robert Sampson, the council’s lead member for commercial services said: ‘Thank you to all residents who have engaged with our Box Clever campaign, we all know that changes can take time to bed in. 

‘We are committed to increasing our recycling rates and providing a good value for money service for our residents. We would like to invite residents to come down to Bedford Square on April 12 and chat to us about Box Clever and take a look at our vehicles.’