BLOCKS of flats in parts of Breckland are to be given a new style of communal recycling bin in a bid to get people to recycle correctly.

BLOCKS of flats in parts of Breckland are to be given a new style of communal recycling bin in a bid to get people to recycle correctly.

Breckland Council has found that recycling in communal bins can cause problems because people will put whole bags of waste and incorrect waste in the bins, contaminating the waste in the whole bin and meaning it has to go to landfill.

In the New Year, new 1,100 litre bins with locked lids and two slots for specific types of waste will be trialled at 15 blocks of flats.

One smaller slot will be for plastic bottles, aerosols and tins and larger slot will be for paper and cardboard. The bins will also have clear labels telling people what they can recycle.

Other residents' bins will also be given new labels during January so that everyone has clearer information on what to recycle.

If the trial is successful, the new bins will be rolled out across the district's other communal areas.

Councillor Kay Fisher, executive member for environmental well being, said: “In the past, all it needed was one person to put in the wrong thing and the whole bin was contaminated and could have ended up in landfill.

“This was frustrating for us and for the other residents who were recycling correctly.”

The areas where the new bins will be trialled are: Defiant Precinct and College Court, Attleborough, Station Terrace, Weeting, Columbine Close and Summer Court, Thetford, Mary Unwin Rd/Baxter Row, The Maltings and Beech Court, Dereham and Cateryne Court, Swaffham.

For information on recycling in Breckland go to www.breckland.gov.uk or call the recycling team on 01362 656878.