SYH goes green

The new waste and recycling scheme, introduced to increase the amount of waste being recycled both from vessels afloat and shore-side operations, is now up and running.

New compounds have been built to accommodate the new, clearly labelled bins, making it easy to divide paper, cardboard, glass and aluminium cans from general galley waste.

In addition, there are more locations where you can dispose of more hazardous waste such as batteries, paint tins, used oil and filters, contaminated rags etc. So please place all waste in the appropriate containers.

Bags with compartments to help the sorting of boat waste are available at no charge from the chandlery. So please help yourself – and help the environment!

"At the moment, half a dozen red Biffa bins are used to collect general purpose mixed material, all of which goes to landfill. Due to rising costs, environmental pressure and just wanting to do the right thing and get our house in order, we are going to create eight recycling and refuse disposal centres around the harbour," explained Jonathan Dyke, SYH managing director.

The compounds will be conveniently sited near the top of the gangways, so that berth-holders don't have far to carry their rubbish. With concrete bases, galvanised steel posts and timber cladding, the compounds will also improve the amenity compared with the current "ugly" skips said Jonathan.

Within the compounds there will be separate, commercial-type roll-top bins, one for  general boat/household waste, and others for recycling tin, aluminium, plastic, cardboard, paper and glass.

As well as the separate bins, compartmentalised bags will be supplied to each berth-holder.

"They will be SYH branded, with information about recycling. The idea is that the boat owner will keep this on the boat, to make it easier to sort the waste on board, so that when they go ashore it is simply a matter of putting it in the right bins," said Jonathan.

"It means that all the material that can be recycled will be taken away for recycling.

Non-recycling will be dealt with on site. We are going to acquire a compactor. It will be emptied every six weeks or so."

This would mean a great reduction in the number of lorry movements, compared with the current weekly emptying of the rubbish skips. And the amount of material going to landfill would be cut down to 10 to 20 per cent of the current volume - the rest will all be recycled.

Additionally, there will be two oil disposal areas, designated areas for disposing of batteries, and areas for disposal of antifouling tins, paint, brushes, rags, rollers etc, so that they don't go into landfill.

Jonathan explained that waste disposal was the biggest single rising cost faced by the harbour. Because of ever-rising landfill taxes, "The cost of it is massive to us now."

As well as improving the amenity of the harbour, and being more environmentally friendly, the new system would reduce the need to pass on those rising costs in increased berthing fees, he said.

"So it is in everybody's interest to adopt the new  system, and sort their rubbish and recycling!"

Jonathan said that the compounds would be built, with the skips in place, and the new bags distributed to berth-holders, by early April.

"At the moment, half a dozen red Biffa bins are used to collect general purpose mixed material, all of which goes to landfill. Due to rising costs, environmental pressure and just wanting to do the right thing and get our house in order, we are going to create eight recycling and refuse disposal centres around the harbour," explained Jonathan Dyke, SYH managing director, when the new recycling scheme was announced.

The compounds are conveniently sited near the top of the gangways, so that berth-holders don't have far to carry their rubbish. With concrete bases, galvanised steel posts and timber cladding, the compounds also improve the amenity compared with the previous "ugly" skips said Jonathan.

Within the compounds there are separate, commercial-type roll-top bins, one for  general boat/household waste, and others for recycling tin, aluminium, plastic, cardboard, paper and glass.

As well as the separate bins, compartmentalised bags are available to berth-holders.

"They are SYH branded, with information about recycling. The idea is that the boat owner will keep this on the boat, to make it easier to sort the waste on board, so that when they go ashore it is simply a matter of putting it in the right bins," said Jonathan.

"It means that all the material that can be recycled will be taken away for recycling.

Non-recycling will be dealt with on site, using a compactor which will be emptied every six weeks or so.

This will mean a great reduction in the number of lorry movements, compared with the previous weekly emptying of the rubbish skips. And the amount of material going to landfill will be cut down to 10 to 20 per cent of the previous volume - the rest will all be recycled.

Additionally, there are now two oil disposal areas, designated areas for disposing of batteries, and areas for disposal of antifouling tins, paint, brushes, rags, rollers etc, so that they don't go into landfill.

Jonathan explained that waste disposal was the biggest single rising cost faced by the harbour. As well as improving the amenity of the harbour, and being more environmentally friendly, the new system would reduce the need to pass on those rising costs in increased berthing fees, he said.

"So it is in everybody's interest to adopt the new  system, and sort their rubbish and recycling!"