A NEW recycling partnership hopes to combat illegal scrap metal collection in Dudley borough.

Dudley Council has joined forces with Mason Metals to offer residents an alternative, free of charge collection service for cookers, washers, dishwashers and scrap metal.

Collections offered by the scrap metal recycling firm, which has bases in Brierley Hill and Halesowen, will run alongside the council’s existing services.

The company has run a free collection service backed by Dudley Police for more than two years in response to unlicensed collectors roving the area but following backing from the council, owner Andrew Jones claimed it was a “win, win, win situation” for the borough.

He said: “The council wins with savings to its budgets and the residents win as they have access to a legitimate free service which is transparent.

“They know exactly where there scrap materials are going and are safe in the knowledge their waste will not be cherry picked and the unwanted items/components fly tipped around the borough, creating further bills for the council and the possibility that if traced they could be prosecuted for fly tipping.”

Collections are by appointment and households will be given a waste transfer note proving they have fulfilled their environmental duty of care and disposed of items legally and responsibly.

Mr Jones added: “I think the public now demand a certain level of compliance and competence.”

Councillor Tracy Wood, Dudley’s cabinet member for environment, said: “The council’s bulky waste collection scheme provides a vital service for residents to recycle through.

“We are aware because of the convenience offered by ‘roving collectors’ residents were able to leave items outside but with no control over who collected them or what happened to them.

“Through Mason Metals we are now able to offer a similar free of charge service which allows residents immediate access to the legitimate metal recycling industry.”

To arrange a collection call Mason Metals on 01384 79841.