Introducing the Trial Kerbside Recycling Service
Thank you for helping Angus to recycle or compost 43.7% of our household waste - but we have to do more. The Scottish Government has set us a target to recycle 50% of waste by 2013 and 60% by 2020. We will also be required by law to provide a separate food waste collection to households.
The cost of disposing of rubbish in landfill sites is increasing year-on-year and this costs Angus Council money it could spend elsewhere on Council services.
So, from mid-September 2012 Angus Council began a trial with 5,200 households in Arbroath, Carnoustie and selected rural areas to test a new recycling service that will enable households taking part to recycle more materials as easily as possible, so that we meet our recycling targets, comply with new legislation and save money on disposal costs.
Everything below can be recycled using the trial recycling service:
- Grey Recycling Bin - collected fortnightly
- Green Garden Waste Bin - collected fortnightly
- Food Waste Recycling - collected weekly
- Purple General Waste Bin - collected fortnightly
If your area is chosen to take part you will receive a letter and booklet giving you instructions on how to use the new service.
The views of residents in the trial area will be important to us in ensuring the new service meets the needs of everyone in Angus, so we will be undertaking a survey of people's opinions of the trial in a few months' time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the trial recycling service?
For householders taking part in the trial, the service includes:
- a new 140 litre purple bin for general waste, collected fortnightly
- the current 240 litre grey bin will become the new recycling bin for cardboard, paper, cans, plastics and glass, collected fortnightly
- new indoor and outdoor caddies for food waste, collected weekly.
- the garden waste bin will continue to be collected fortnightly
We are delivering booklets which provide further information on the trial service plus information about new bin collection dates and replacing the liners for food waste caddies, to all households included in the trial.
Why is Angus Council trialling a new recycling service?
The Scottish Government has set us a target to recycle more and landfill less waste. Waste decomposing in landfill results in emissions of methane - a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Sending waste to landfill is also expensive and we could spend this money on other services.
More than 30% of the waste in an average Scottish bin is food. Diverting food waste from landfill means that it can be turned into valuable fertilisers and energy.
The trial will make it easier for households taking part to recycle more materials from home, including new materials like cardboard, plastic containers and food waste. If the trial is successful, it may be rolled out to other areas in Angus.
When will the new bins for the trial be delivered?
If your household is part of the trial, your new purple general waste bin and food waste caddies will be delivered on your grey bin collection day in the week beginning 3 or 10 September 2012; you will receive a letter in the week beginning 20 August which will specify the delivery date.
Please leave your grey bin out until it has been marked with a recycling sticker (this will happen after the waste is collected). You will find your new food waste caddies inside your new purple general waste bin.
When will the bins be emptied during the trial recycling service?
We will deliver a letter to all households taking part in the trial listing the collection day and first three collection dates for each of the bins. Collections will continue after these dates on the frequency shown in the letter. You can also contact the ACCESSLine on 08452 777 778 to confirm your bin collection days.
How should the trial containers be presented for collection?
If your household is part of the trial, please put each of your bins out at the kerbside ready for collection by 7am on the relevant collection day, as per your letter.
Please ensure that the lids are fully closed and that the bins are not too heavy for our collection staff to lift. Please note, all waste must be contained within your bins.
Why have I been selected to take part in the trial recycling service?
We have selected 5,200 households in Arbroath, Carnoustie and some rural parts of Angus to help us trial these new collection systems.
These areas have been chosen as they represent the range of different locations, households and property types present across Angus and will allow us to test new collection systems before long-term service decisions are made.
Why have I not been selected to take part in the trial?
Before making any long-term service decisions we would like to trial the service with a small proportion of households that represent the range of different locations and households present across Angus. If this trial is successful, it may be rolled-out to other households in Angus.
How long will the trial run for?
We anticipate that the trial will run for between six and twelve months so that we can get a good understanding of how the trial is performing and gain feedback from users. We will write to you following completion of the trial to confirm whether the new service will be made permanent.
What should I do with my green box and/or blue cardboard bin?
Green box
If your household is part of the trial, please keep your green recycling box in case it is needed again in the future. We will write to you in due course to confirm whether the new service will be made permanent and what to do with your green box.
Blue bin
If your household is part of the trial and you currently have a blue bin for cardboard, we will retrieve it following emptying on either Wednesday 29 August or 5 September 2012 - please remember to put your bin out on your usual week.
What happens if one of my recycling bins is contaminated?
If your recycling, food or garden waste bin is contaminated with items that can't be recycled, an information tag will be attached explaining why and it will not be emptied. If you remove the contaminants the bin will be emptied on your next scheduled collection day.
Can I get assistance with pulling my bin to the kerbside?
If there is no one living at your household physically capable of presenting your bin at the kerbside you may apply to have an assisted collection. You can apply by contacting the ACCESSLine on 08452 777 778.
Do I have less space in my bin for my rubbish now?
Householders now have more capacity than before, made up as follows:
- 240l fortnightly recycling bin
- 240l fortnightly garden waste bin
- 140l fortnightly general waste bin
- 23l weekly food waste bin
This equates to 333l capacity on a weekly basis (compared to 295l with the existing kerbside recycling system), which is actually a 13% increase in capacity overall.
What else can I do to reduce my waste?
A recycling centre exists in each town in Angus where various recyclable materials can be disposed of, along with bulky waste and general waste.
In addition, you can donate serviceable items to charity. Contact details for local charities which can make use of a wide range of items, from crockery to furniture, are outlined on the Furniture Reuse and Charity Shops A-Z entries.
Need more information about the trial recycling service?
Contact us using the Online Enquiries & Requests form or via ACCESSLine on 08452 777 778, or visit your local ACCESS office.
To learn about other ways to reduce, reuse and recycle your waste and save valuable resources, visit the Zero Waste Scotland website or our Waste and Recycling Services page.
Service Page: recyclingtrial.htm
Service Details Last Reviewed : 20 August 2012
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