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Search forBristol City Council's £20,000 DVD to explain recycling
Wednesday, August 13, 2008, 08:00
The authority has sought volunteers to star in the 10-minute film, which will be available on the internet and released as an interactive DVD in October.
The new film comes two years after the council introduced its new waste collection system, which has seen recycling rates soar.
Despite the scheme's success, the DVD will be launched as part of a "major campaign to promote recycling services" to help the elderly and those in flats and multi-occupancy houses understand the system.
Liberal Democrat city councillor Gary Hopkins, who spearheaded the introduction of the new system when the Lib Dems were in charge of the city council, acknowledged there was a minority still not using the recycling collections effectively or at all.
But he said the money would be better spent helping residents by sending council officers to meet them and explain the system face-to-face, rather than through a DVD.
He said: "About 70 per cent of people are using it pretty well but there's a minority who have still not been persuaded.
"But it's strange that the council thinks that those people who are not using the recycling system effectively will take the trouble to watch a DVD.
"What's really needed is a face-to-face explanation with practical help, but that idea has been rejected."
Mr Hopkins (Lib Dem, Knowle) believes the food waste recycling has proved the most difficult part of the waste revolution for residents to get to grips with.
Filming for the DVD is set to take place in September and volunteers will be asked to star in the following scenes:
1 Family recycling at home (black box and food waste)
2 Garden waste recycling (sacks and/or wheeled bin)
3 Recycling at local recycling centre (supermarkets)
4 Recycling at Household Waste Recycling Centre (St Philip's)
5 Composting at home
A spokeswoman for Bristol City Council said: "The Citizen's Jury (a panel of Bristol residents) suggested we look at different ways to promote the services and when we discussed it with housing associations, student organisations and community groups they have been very supportive. The interactive DVD will be used to show people living in flats, residents in multi- occupancy houses, older people and other residents how they can use the many recycling services in their area."
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