CONTROVERSIAL cost-saving waste initiatives in Monmouthshire are showing benefits for the county council, following just one week of operation.

Limiting residents to two bags of residual, non recyclable waste per fortnight has seen lorries come back from rounds with five tonnes instead of 19 tonnes previously.

Some individual rounds have made savings of £1,000, because residents are putting out less waste for landfill, while the amount of material left for recycling has risen.

The council hopes savings will peak at £600,000 each year.

Its cabinet member responsible for waste collection, Cllr Bryan Jones said: “It is no secret that there was some scepticism about whether the two grey bag scheme would work, but we are amazed at the response from you all – it truly is tremendous.”

Back in March, his colleague Rachel Jowitt moved to quash fears the council would be snooping in people’s rubbish.

The pair visited town and community councils to defend the new strategy and address concerns over fines, fly-tipping, vermin and invasion of privacy.

Residents were originally going to have to put their waste in see-through bags, but emails, telephone calls, comments on the council’s blog and an 800 signature petition calling it an invasion of privacy led to change.

By April, Cllr Jones said he had taken notice people were unhappy items in the bags would be visible, causing “some embarrassment.”

As a result, grey bags have been used instead.

Ms Jowitt, waste strategy and resources manager, said some people who left black bags out were the “minority”

and they may not have been aware of the changes, despite a two month advertising campaign.

“We are staggered by the weights coming off our lorries.

I urge our residents to continue their efforts to reduce waste and increasing recycling. It really does make a difference,” she added.