Frequently asked questions
What are the changes?
- The black bin will be collected every three weeks
- The blue bin will be collected every three weeks
- The brown bin will be collected every three weeks
- The green bin will be collected every two weeks.
When will the changes happen?
From Monday 25th September. You will receive a new calendar in the post and you'll also be able to access it online to see your new bin day.
Why are my bin collections changing?
Moving to a three weekly bin collection and recycling more will mean as a borough we save £2m each year. We have already made £100m of savings since 2010 and will have saved £160m by 2020.
We’d have to find this money from somewhere and we want to protect frontline services for our children and our vulnerable residents. We also need to increase our recycling rates or we will be fined by the government.
Why does it matter what recycling rate we have?
Our recycling rate has dropped in the last few years meaning people are recycling less. This is not only bad for the environment but is costing us money. We need to send less waste for costly disposal. If we aren’t recycling at least 50 per cent of our waste by 2020 we will face significant fines from the government.
What if I still have too much waste?
We understand residents will be worried about the changes. We can come out to your property to do a waste audit to see how we can help you to recycle more. We will be flexible with large families (with six members or more) or households that have healthcare waste. We will be looking at individual situations and will support you as much as we can.
There is also information about the borough’s household waste recycling centres.
Won’t this increase fly tipping?
Evidence from other councils who have implemented a three weekly black bin collection shows they have not had any increase. Fly tipping is a criminal offence and we prosecute and fine people who do it. The vast majority of our residents take responsibility for their own waste but a small number let the borough down.
We need your help so we can catch the persistent offenders. We’d encourage you to report any incidents of fly tipping to us via the Report It app or report it online.
I currently get an assisted collection service, will I still get this?
Yes. There are no changes to the assisted bin collection service.
I don’t have any recycling bins, can I get them?
Yes, you can request a recycling bin online or if you're vulnerable and require support, you can visit your nearest library or Life Centre where we can assist you to access online services. We will make sure this bin arrives in plenty of time before the collections change.
I currently have a small recycling bin, I would now like to swap to a larger recycling bin, can I get one?
Yes, you can order a larger recycling bin online or if you're vulnerable and require support, you can visit your nearest library or Life Centre where we can assist you to access online services. We will make sure this bin arrives in plenty of time before the collections change.
If I swap a bin for a different size, will I get charged?
There are no charges for swapping a recycling bin to a different size; either larger (240l) or smaller (140l). Charges for replacement bins will only be for lost, stolen or damaged bins. More details will be confirmed ahead of the implementation of a charging system.
Will my collection day change?
It is likely your collection day will change. We will be sending out new calendars closer to the time with full details of your collection and you will also be able to view your calendar online.
I’m concerned about nappies in my bin for a longer period of time
Households that have children in nappies may be understandably concerned about their waste. To avoid smells, please put all used nappies in a tied bag before placing them in the black bin. You may wish to wash your bin occasionally with washing up liquid and/or boiling water.
We appreciate that households with children in nappies may also produce a larger quantity of waste. If you have one or two children in nappies then the size of your standard black bin should be adequate if you are fully recycling your other waste. We can assess individual households that produce large quantities of nappies and provide details of how you can apply for additional capacity.
What about flies and maggots?
It is important that you put your food waste in your green bin which will continue to be collected on a fortnightly basis. To avoid flies and maggots it is important that your food waste is not left uncovered before it is put in your outside bin. We recommend that you always:
- Try not to leave food standing around in the open for too long – use your kitchen caddy to contain your food waste.
- Store your kitchen caddy away from windows and doors.
- Ensure the lid of your kitchen caddy, and your outside kerbside caddy/green bin, is always fully closed.
- Line your kitchen caddy with a compostable liner. Find out how you can get caddy liners.
- Empty uneaten pet food frequently and ensure it is always wrapped in a compostable bag.
- Try and minimise the amount of food your throw away. There are some great tips for using leftovers or using your freezer on Love Food Hate Waste (external link)
- Flies are less likely to be attracted to your caddy if you empty it frequently, draining any excess liquid and keep any outdoor caddy in a shaded area.
How do I know what items can and can’t be recycled?
For a full list and lots of helpful information, check which bin do I use?