Bath & North East Somerset Council is to introduce changes to the frequency of rubbish collections later this year, with most households moving to every other week collections from 6th November.
Recycling collections, including food waste, will remain weekly, however collections days and times may change as routes are redesigned to ensure they are as efficient as possible.
In March all households will be sent a personalised letter informing them how the changes will affect them directly.
Cllr Martin Veal (Conservative, Bathavon North) Cabinet Member for Community Services said “Over 70% of Councils across the UK, including our neighbours in Bristol, North Somerset, Somerset, Wiltshire and South Gloucestershire, already run every other week collections for rubbish in wheeled bins, and most have weekly recycling collections.
“They have all reported significant benefits including a reduction in the amount of rubbish sent to landfill, an increase in recycling, reduced street litter and cost efficiencies.”
“The Council will provide a 140 litre wheeled bin for the storage and collection of rubbish. We realise that one size does not fit all, so in a small number of cases where a 140 litre wheeled bin is not suitable for a property or family situation, a larger bin or a re-useable rubbish bag to contain rubbish for collection will be provided.”
Why are the changes being introduced?
- To recycle more:
Bath & North East Somerset Council has a very comprehensive recycling collection service where you can already recycle 17 different types of household waste every week, but some residents could recycle more.
About 75% of a household’s waste can be recycled using the current collections, but over half of an average rubbish bag consists of items that could have been recycled.
The change will also help to encourage everyone to use their food recycling collection – only about 50% of households currently use this. About a third of the waste in black sacks currently is food.
- To keep our streets cleaner:
Containing rubbish in a bin will prevent animals and birds ripping open bags and making a mess which is unpleasant for everyone and costly to clear up.
- To save money:
Every lorry load of waste costs £1,000 to dispose of whilst every lorry load of recycling earns an income of £100. So reducing the amount put out as rubbish is essential, because the amount of money the Council has to spend is reducing significantly overall.
- Look out for your letter in March
From 9th-13th March, the Council will send all households a personalised letter informing them about the changes. To keep postage costs to a minimum, most letters will be included in the envelope with Council Tax bills.
The letter will outline if a property has been allocated a wheeled bin or re-useable rubbish bag for rubbish collection, and the frequency of rubbish collections.
The letter is for information and no response is needed. If residents are concerned that the container they have been allocated is not appropriate for their specific property, or if despite recycling all they can, they feel that their household will not manage with the allocated container, they can complete an online query form.
The Council will write separately to some residents including those who:
- live in a registered House of Multiple Occupancy (HMO);
- are currently registered for an Assisted Collection (those who need the help of our crews to carry their rubbish and/or recycling to an agreed collection point) as for some residents wheeled bins will be much easier to manage.
To help recycle more and to get ready for the change, the Council has organised community roadshows where residents can view the bins and re-useable rubbish bags and get advice and tips from the Waste Campaigns Team.
A full instruction pack will be delivered to homes with bin/bag delivery. To find out more visit www.bathnes.gov.uk/recycle.
Waste Doctors will be visiting households giving tips and advice to help everyone make full use of their recycling collection where 17 different types of items can be recycled every week, including small electrical appliances.
To order extra free recycling containers online visit www.bathnes.gov.uk/orderacontainer.
