Micro chips to be fitted to blue bins in Widnes and Runcorn in pioneering scheme (From Runcorn and Widnes World)

Micro chips to be fitted to blue bins in Widnes and Runcorn in pioneering scheme

12:20pm Saturday 27th June 2009

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MICRO chips fitted to your blue bins will soon earn Halton residents reward points to spend at local businesses.

Around 10,000 homes will be invited to take part in a pioneering pilot, the first of its kind in the north of England.

Clr Phil Harris, board member for recycling, said: “Halton Council has always believed in encouraging people to recycle and this new scheme rewards those who choose to do so.

“It also offers the opportunity to promote and encourage local economic development wiht the participation of local businesses and charities in the rewards programme.”

In a year, an average household could claim up to £150 worth of vouchers which can be spent at national retailers, local shops and businesses or donated to charity.

An automatic reader in the refuse wagon reads the weight of the content of the bin and calculates the amount of points awarded.

Residents can track online how many points they have accrued or phone up for an update.

In the first six-month trial, residents in the wards of Broadheath, Daresbury, Grange, Halton Castle, Halton View, Heath and Hough Green can opt in.

Recyclebank, an American company which runs a similar programme in the US, will administer the scheme.

The pilot will cost £63,700 to run, instal and maintain the onboard weighing equipment and software to two council refuse vehicles.

Existing waste management budgets will fund the initial project, members of the executive board agreed last week.

However, savings will far outweigh the costs as it is cheaper to recycle than to dump waste at landfill.

An estimated £88,000 would be saved in 2010/11, rising to £136,000 in 2013/14, if the scheme proves successful and is rolled out throughout Halton.

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