New Bin Collection Service in Operation

The new arrangements for bin collection started in the week commencing Monday 5 October 2009 --  weekly collection of food waste, and alternate weekly collection of recycling and residual refuse. This will recycle more and put less into landfill.

Will there be issues with the new service? Well, we have been pressing to make sure the needs of households are met -- see the question to the Leader, lower down this page. 

The Enhanced Bin Collection Service ('EBC') has been introduced for the majority of households, but not for flats. It covers:

• Weekly food collections for composting (new food caddy and bin)
• Fortnightly recycling collections for sorting and recycling (your blue-top bin)
• Fortnightly refuse collections for disposal (your green-top bin)
• Optional fortnightly garden waste collections for composting (your brown-top bin, by subscription)

FAQ and weekly food waste  

Here is a link to the EBC 'Enhanced Bin Collections' FAQ which gives some useful info.

Here are the questions specifically on Food waste collections:

• 14 - How will my weekly food collections work? You will be given free a 5-litre food caddy to keep in your kitchen and collect your food waste. You will also be given a 23-litre food bin to go outside, which you will empty your caddy into. We will empty your food bin every week and take the food waste to be composted. This will then be used as a soil improver for energy crops. The food waste collections will be based on the |successful trial we are currently running throughout the Borough.
• 15 - What will I be able to recycle in my food caddy and bin? Any raw or cooked food is suitable. You can even scrape food straight off a plate into your caddy. This includes all food that you are throwing away because it has gone off (without the packaging). The food waste is then taken to a composting facility where it is turned into soil improver for crops used to make energy.
• 16 - I already compost at home. Do I have to use the food recycling service? Please continue to compost at home. It's still the best way to deal with uncooked fruit and vegetable waste. However, you can use your food waste collections to recycle cooked food and meat, which you would not normally compost at home.
• 17 - Will my food caddy and bin smell? Your caddy shouldn't smell. You can line your caddy with a compostable liner available from most supermarkets. You can also use an old paper bag or newspaper to line your caddy. This can be emptied into your food bin with your food waste. Make sure you regularly empty your caddy into the outside bin, and keep it clean. Your outside bin has a sealable and lockable lid which will prevent smells.
• 18 - I have a large family and will need more room for food waste. Large families can apply for a second food waste bin.

Question to the EBC Leader   

The controlling Conservative cabinet of EBC voted to introduce the scheme rather earlier than recommended. For a number of councillors that raised some serious issues about the level of public consultation, and how to make sure people facing specific difficulties are supported.

Miles Macleod asked a question on this (see below) at Council on 3 December. Miles has been to the subsequent launch event, and is somewhat reassured about plans for two way communication, including road shows, probably in May in Weybridge, and a 3-line telephone help line with council staff who are equipped to answer enquiries.

Extract from MINUTES of PROCEEDINGS at a MEETING of ELMBRIDGE BOROUGH COUNCIL held on Wednesday, 3rd December, 2008.

(d) Question asked by M. Macleod to the Leader of the Council, R.H. Taylor

‘The Council’s move towards more effective recycling with less residual waste going to landfill is very welcome in environmental terms. Can the Leader tell us what special measures will be taken to meet the needs of residents for whom a change to fortnightly residual waste collection may present genuine problems – particularly large families with infants in nappies, and families living in small terraced houses where there is no space for additional or bigger wheelie bins?’

Response given by R.H. Taylor

Well you might have been more sensible to ask your Leader, Councillor Macleod, as he heads the Recycling Task Group. There are lots of issues we still have to resolve in the enhanced bin collection system. In terms of large families with young children with nappies, the Task Group I believe are considering providing these homes with a second wheeled bin during the period they have young children. In fact I wasn’t aware of that until today but I understand Mole Valley operate this system and it works very well. And for those of you who have been in the Members’ Room this evening you should have a card inviting you to a presentation on the 16th December, 2008 where quite a lot of the issues and problems and improvements of this waste collection service will be fully explained. In terms of terraced properties, the Council already provides a dispensation of approximately 1,000 homes where we don’t use wheelie bins we still collect waste from plastic sacks. At present properties already using a wheelie bin may switch to a larger bin if they so wish but we are not actually expecting more bins other than families with young children. The food collection bins are really tiny and they can be emptied at regular intervals.

Supplementary Question by M. Macleod

I am aware that we already produce some excellent information about recycling but I would really like us to be reassured that there is going to be some two-way communication arrangements, for example by a dedicated and well publicised helpline, so that people can resolve their issues and if all else fails, will it be possible for any household that is having real problems to be included in the list of properties were there are bespoke arrangements for collection.

Response given by R.H. Taylor

 I totally agree with your sentiments of course there will be two-way communication. We hope to learn from all the other Boroughs that have already introduced alternative weekly collection and that is why we are introducing an enhanced bin collection service. We have managed to refine it, the conditions and timing is right for doing it and I think you will find next week’s presentation extremely useful. It will set the scene on how we are going to go about the enhanced bin collection system, how we will attempt to educate our residents, how we will inform them of what is happening and how they participate so hopefully all your aspirations will be met.