Your new recycling collection service
Changes to your kerbside recycling collection service
To allow us to offer you the opportunity to recycle additional materials, we have to increase the capacity of the containers in which we collect your recycling.
We are also changing the bin collection routes, so your normal bin collection day may change.
Blue wheelie bin - new
Your current red and blue recycling boxes are not big enough to take extra materials so from 1 October 2012 we will replace your blue recycling box with a blue wheeled bin in which you can recycle:
- Paper
- Cardboard packaging
- Plastic bottles
- Food and drink cans
plus
- Yoghurt pots
- Margarine tubs
- Plastic punnets
- Plastic food trays (but not polystyrene trays)
- Aerosol cans
- Cartons
- Foil containers
- Large cardboard boxes
- Large metal tins (such as biscuit tins and chocolate boxes)
Red recycling box
You can continue to recycle glass bottles and jars in your red recycling box.
Fortnightly collections
The capacity of the new bin and box will be more than 3 times the size of your 2 boxes. This means we can collect your recycling fortnightly rather than weekly, reducing the number of times you have to put out your recycling.
Advantages
Providing you with a new wheeled bin for your recycling also:
- Reduces the need for you to bend, lift and carry your recycling
- Makes the containment of your recycling more secure, reducing the risk of 'windblown' litter from your box, or your box blowing away in bad weather
- Keeps your recycling dry
Some questions you may have
If all these materials are collected together, how are they recycled?
Your recycling is sent to a Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) where different materials are identified and separated. You can watch a video of the process:
Specialised equipment is used to identify and sort items by type, weight, shape, colour and grade. The various recycling material streams are then sent to reprocessing outlets where they are turned into new products.
What size is the new blue bin?
Your blue bin will hold 240L, the same size as a standard sized grey wheeled bin, or your brown garden waste bin. At the present time, we are not able to supply larger or smaller blue recycling bins.
What should I do with my blue box?
Following the start of your blue bin collection service, we will no longer collect materials for recycling from your blue box. If you do not wish to keep your blue box to help you store your recycling before transferring it to your blue bin, or to recycle your glass bottles and jars, call us on 0845 130 2322 and we will arrange to collect it following the introduction of the new service.
I don't think I have room to store a blue wheeled bin.
The footprint of a wheeled bin, including the wheels, is approximately 1.5 times the footprint of your existing kerbside recycling box, so you shouldn't need to find too much extra space.
Will I still receive my assisted collection?
If you have an assisted collection we will offer this service for your blue bin.
What about my grey bin?
Although we may have to make a change to your collection day, we are not changing the frequency of collection. We expect you will find that you have much more room in your grey bin as you will now be able to separate cartons, plastic tubs, punnets, pots and trays, aerosol cans and foil for recycling at the kerbside.
Where can I recycle shredded paper?
Shredded paper cannot go in your blue wheeled bin as is too small to be sorted by the mechanical system and it may cause windblown litter. Shredded paper can be recycled in the paper recycling banks at our network of Recycling Points as this material is delivered to a different facility.
Why don't you accept household batteries?
Batteries are hazardous waste and should not be put out for disposal with your household waste. Many retailers offer a take-back scheme for electrical items, including batteries. Old batteries can also be taken to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre or battery banks in the reception of Council offices.
What about food waste collections?
The Council's waste team are still working on proposals to offer you a separate collection of your food waste. To achieve the Scottish Government's Zero Waste Regulations, we are required to complete the roll-out of household food waste collection services by 2015.
