Next month, residents and visitors will be able to recycle cans and bottles when out and about in the borough.
The ‘recycle on the go’ plan will see bins placed in ‘strategic locations’ including the South Shields foreshore and some parks.
Although street waste recycling schemes have been unsuccessful in the past, council bosses are optimistic about the new trial.
“We have tried it before and it hasn’t gone particularly well for us where we had a litter bin next to a recycling bin for cans and bottles, ” Corporate Lead for Area Management, Andrew Whittaker, said.
“Unfortunately, I think that message has probably become a bit muddled up and we have ended up with the wrong materials in the wrong bins.
“But I think there has been a change in culture with the community and nationally around recycling on the go.”
The comments came during a recent meeting of South Tyneside Council’s Place Select Committee on March 3.
The council officer added that if the street waste recycling trial was successful, it may roll out on a wider scale.
He told the meeting: “At the moment there’s very little separation of material either on the vehicle with crews or when it comes back to Middlefields.
“We’re doing some work with South Tyneside Homes and our own crews to try and make that a little bit easier and one of our waste contractors is quite keen to work with the council to do a trial recycling more of our street cleaning waste.
“As you can imagine it’s not just clean waste, it’s dirty street cleaning waste as well.
“Once it’s in a litter bin, it’s really difficult for us to get that material out and as a consequence of that, the next step is recycle on the go.”
Other council waste schemes include investing in smaller electric street cleaning vehicles.
Council bosses have also agreed to extend a household recycling trial in part of Whitburn village which sees residents offered two blue bins.
