RESIDENTS may have to become increasingly savvy with household waste after a council proposed to reduce black bin collection to fortnightly.

The proposal, recommended by officers, is set to go before Chelmsford City Council cabinet members for a decision on Tuesday (October 18), in a bid to save money.

If approved, the plans would bring Chelmsford in line with 70 per cent of the rest of the country, following a similar waste collection model to Maldon, and coming into effect early next year.

A spokesman for Chelmsford City Council said the change would lower the city’s environmental impact, and bring better value to the tax payer.

The scheme aims to save more than £1 million per year, due to a reduction in operating costs and vehicle maintenance.

A spokesman for the council said: “It is part of our long-term strategy to improve the way we process our waste and ensure that future generations are not left to deal with our rubbish.

“If householders use the recycling, food waste and garden collection services there should be no need for extra bags of general waste to be put out for collection.”

She went on to explain how the council provides a comprehensive kerbside recycling collection, a separate weekly food collection and all year round garden waste collection.

She added: “If householders regularly use these collections, the black bin is likely to be underused.

“We receive this feedback from many householders, who are beginning to question why we continue with the expense of weekly black bin collections.

“If approved, the change would come into effect early next year.”

The council’s report shows only 45 per cent of households in the district regularly recycle their food waste.

It means the lion’s share ends up in landfill, where it rots and produces methane, a greenhouse gas scientists claim is 20 times more potent that carbon dioxide.