Recycling - residential collections
Where
shall I put my waste containers for collection and what time will
my bins be collected? .
What can
I recycle in my brown bin? .
Where is my
nearest recycling site? (redirects to page "Recycling
Sites")
How clean do
recyclable materials have to be? .
My
bin/box/bag has been damaged/lost. How do I get a new one?
.
Tips to help you reduce the amount of waste
you produce .
Alternate Weekly Collections - what's it all
about? .
Where and when
All waste
containers should be at the kerbside outside your property by 6.00
am on the day of collection. If you are not sure of your collection
day, please contact us for
assistance.
If you have difficulty moving your containers to the kerbside,
please contact us to discuss
alternative arrangements.
Brown bins
Your brown bin is for garden
waste only. Any grass cuttings, hedge clippings, prunings, small
branches, cut flowers, leaves and weeds are all suitable
for composting. Please do not include any plastic or wastes from
pet animals.
This waste is composted by local farmers and used back on their
land, so it is important that only materials suitable are included.
Any contaminants have to be handpicked from the material by the
farmer, which is hugely time consuming.
Recyclable materials
It would
help if cans and glass containers were rinsed before putting
them in your green box ready for collection. To save space in
your box, squash your cans if possible.
Damaged / lost bins, boxes or
bags
If any of your equipment is damaged or has gone
missing, please contact Streetscene or telephone
01653 600666 to request a replacement.
If your bin was damaged as a result of misuse eg hot ashes, a
charge for a replacment may be made.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
Tips to
help you reduce the amount of waste you produce.
- Buy in bulk - reduce packaging by buying larger containers,
concentrates and refills. This will also help you to save
money!
- Buy loose fruit and vegetables rather than over-packaged
varieties and choose products packed in recyclable material
- Buy products with less packaging
- Home composting items such as fruit and vegetable peelings,
grass cuttings and teabags turns waste into a reuseable product
and, during decomposition, reduces the volume of waste
- Avoid food waste - about one third of the food we buy gets
thrown away and most of this could have been eaten. To find useful
tips on the storage of food, tantalising receipes and advice on
portion sizes visit http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/.
This will also save you money.
- Avoid plastic carrier bags - use cloth bags or a "bag-for-life"
when you go shopping. Try to keep a few reuseable shopping bags in
your car, next to your door or in your handbag
- Drink tap water rather than bottled water to reduce the number
of plastic bottles
- Unwanted mail - to reduce the amount of unwanted mail through
your letterbox there are several things you can do; Register with
the Mailing
Preference Service to stop receiving unsolicited/addressed
advertising mail like credit card applications.
- Choose reuseable items like cloth napkins, refillable pens and
non-disposable razors
- Opt for ceramic crockery with cloth napkins instead of paper or
plastic alternatives
- use old glass jars to store small items such as nails and
pins
- Save any bubble wrap or padded envelopes and reuse when you
next send a parcel
- Cut up old Christmas cards to make gift tags for next year
- Use dishcloths instead of disposable wipes
- Buy rechargeable batteries and energy saving lightbulbs. Energy
saving lightbulbs last up to 12 times longer
- Use reuseable nappies - 8 million disposable nappies are thrown
away every day in the UK - see http://www.realnappy.com/
- Use reuseable containers and lunch boxes instead of plastic or
foil wrapping
- When using paper use both sides of the page and buy recycled
paper
- Use the blank side of paper for notes and then recycle it
- Recycle printer ink cartridges
- Repair broken or damaged items when possible
- Pass unwanted toys and clothes to neighbours, nurseries or
charities
- Buy recycled products e.g. paper, glass, tissues, toilet rolls
and kitchen rolls
Alternate Weekly Collections – what’s it all
about?
This useful information has been produced by
the Local Government Association (LGA).
What are Alternate Weekly Collections
(AWCs)?
Under AWC's, recyclables are collected one
week and non-recyclable waste the next week. Waste is still
collected every week, so residents do not get a reduced service.
Many now get additional services, with new wheelie bins and
expanded recycling services.
Why are councils changing to
AWCs?
It is estimated that by 2016 most landfill
sites in England will be almost full, therefore Government
legislation regarding the disposal of waste to landfill is now in
force. Councils are allocated permits which mean they will only be
allowed to consign limited quantities of bio-degradable material to
landfill. This allocation reduces significantly year on year. As
time goes on more materials are to be banned from landfill
including tyres, liquid wastes, hazardous waste, electrical waste
and bio-degradable waste (garden waste, paper, card, textiles
etc.).
Over a ten-year period Ryedale experienced a
50% increase in waste collected. These increases have meant
more pressure on landfill. Due to costs and for environmental
reasons, minimising waste sent to landfill and maximising recycling
are now priorities for all councils.
AWC's improve rates of recycling - most top
performing councils for recycling use AWCs. This system
is one way to encourage residents to recycle more. Recent
figures show that the UK sends the most rubbish to landfill per
person in Europe - this must change.
How many councils have
switched?
Over a third of the 354 Waste Collection
Authorities in England have switched to collecting recyclable waste
one week and other waste the next.
Do AWCs pose health problems for residents?
Will hotter weather make the problems
worse?
The biggest independent research commissioned
by the government (Wycombe Report) found no evidence that
collecting recyclables one week and residual waste the next week
will cause any health impacts for residents. The tests were carried
out in both winter and summer months to give the full picture.
It also found that health impacts are likely
to be no greater than those associated with weekly collections.
Common-sense measures, such as keeping waste tightly wrapped and
bin lids closed can help deal with any potential problems.
Do councils save money from
AWCs?
Currently each tonne of waste going to landfill
in Ryedale costs about £22 per tonne. Added to that is a government
tax on each tonne landfilled. In 1996 this was £7 per tonne and by
2014 it will be £80 per tonne, making landfill over £100 per
tonne.
The Government will fine councils for
landfilling more than set limits. Going over allocated limits
will mean councils having to pay fines of £150 per tonne to the
Government. Money for these fines will have to be found from
an authority's Council Tax.
Anything that reduces waste sent to landfill
will save taxpayers money. Over the longer term, increasing
recycling will mean councils and therefore Council Tax payers will
avoid fines by not exceeding landfill allowances. With Government
forecasting the cost of dealing with waste to rise by 10% each
year, councils have to do everything in their power to provide an
even better deal for the taxpayer.
But it isn't simply about saving money, it's
about saving the environment. Waste sent to landfill contributes to
climate change by emitting harmful methane gas.