Changes to the Way Your Recycling and Rubbish is Collected

Swindon Borough Council want to improve your recycling and refuse service to deliver our Promise “to recycle, compost, or treat 50% of household waste by 2010” and meet strict targets set by Government for sending waste to landfill.

A new system for the collection of recyclables and household waste for Swindon Borough will be introduced from July 2007.

Your new, improved collection scheme will introduce:

• Weekly collection of recycling boxes from the kerbside
• Fortnightly refuse collections in a wheelie bin
• Fortnightly collection of plastic bottles (only.in Special sacks)
• Fortnightly free collection of garden waste
• Longer opening hours at the Household Waste Recycling Centre

Latest News - Recycling and Waste Collections

After an incredible response to the new recycling service with the amount of recycled waste collected up from 150 tonnes a week to 300, the final phase of the introduction of Swindons new household waste service will begin in September 2007. Wheelie bins will be delivered to 65,000 homes. Collections using the new bins will roll out across the whole of the Borough of Swindon during the two weeks from 5th November 2007.

Letters are now being sent to 5,500 householders in the Borough who will not receive a wheelie bin because their properties aren't suitable for them. They will instead receive weekly collections of general waste in special blue plastic bags, which will be provided by the council, limited to two bags per week, along with the weekly kerbside recycling service. For the full list of properties who will receive a bagged collection please see the Blue Bag List.

Every home has been individually assessed and properties will not will not receive a wheelie bin if:

• it would need to be manoeuvred up or down a number of steps;
• there is no storage space available for it without it being taken through a house for collection;
• the home is a flat where there is no suitable storage area;
• the front garden is too small to accommodate it and there is no alternative access;
• there is no safe place for it to be left for collection; for instance because of a steeply sloping street.

Why Do We Need to Change the Way We Collect Household Waste?

Every year, each house across the Borough produces about one tonne of waste and this figure is growing. Currently around 67% gets buried in the ground in a landfill site. We are now running out of landfill space and, as a result, are creating environmental and ecological problems.

See Why are the services changing for further information

Why Have We Chosen a Wheelie Bin Collections Scheme?

Throughout the country, the introduction of wheelie bins are proving to be the most successful method of reducing waste going to landfill, maximising recycling and composting, and meeting the government’s targets. This is because each household will have a limited amount of disposal space for their rubbish.

Please see Your Wheelie Bin for more details about the scheme.

And There's More ...

In addition to the new service, we will also be offering:

Washable nappies and the three C's

Convienence, Comfort, Cost!

There are three types of 'real' or reuseable nappies. The Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and the Swindon Real nappy network can give practical advice on the best type for your children. For more details please visit the Swindon Real Nappy Network website (www.swindon-realnappynetwork.org.uk) or the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust website (www.wiltshirewildlife.org).

Discounted Compost Bins

Discounted compost bins from £8.00 through a partnership with WRAP (Waste Recycling Action Programme). For more information visit the Recycle Now website (www.recyclenow.com/compost). Composting your kitchen & garden waste can help reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfill.

Meet the Waste Wardens!

A team of Waste Wardens will be on hand to provide practical advice on all aspects of waste and recycling. They will be able to call at your home or community group and talk through any problems or issues you may have.