Bolton Council spent more than £200,000 on more than 16 million compostable bin bags last year.

The compostable bin bags for food waste are available for free to anyone anywhere in the borough.

The council is after a new supplier upon the conclusion of a contract with the old supplier and, according to a report to the cabinet member for climate change and environment Richard Silvester, the council spent £212,812 on 16,370,154 compostable bin bags in the year up to April 1, 2024.

It is an increase of more than 60 per cent in terms of spending and an increase of more than 100 percent in terms of total on the year up to April 1, 2022.*

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The report said: "The provider must meet the balance between robustness in use for residents and an ability to break down for composting. In the last year the council purchased 16,370,154 liners across the year."

Some of the options open to the cabinet member for climate change and environment are to reduce the supply of bin bags to none at all or to one per property per week.

There is research a reduction in the supply of bin bags would reduce the rate of recycling but there are other authorities to do so with no reduction in the rate of recycling.

Another of the options open to Cllr Silvester is to partner with all of the other Greater Manchester local authorities to provide the service but all of the other Greater Manchester local authorities are mid-contract.

The recommendation to Cllr Silvester is to provide the service as it is at the moment for at least three years from December 1.

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The report said: "This report recommends proceeding with this option as it provides the best overall option for the council."

The compostable bin bags for food waste are available for free to anyone anywhere in the borough. For information go to bolton.gov.uk/rubbish-recycling.

*
2021/2022 - £130,573 on 7,680,765 bin bags
2022/2023 - £169,052 on 10,565,750 bin bags
2023/2024 - £212,812 on 16,370,154 bin bags

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.