Harry McKenzie, our local Canterbury City Councillor, has put together this comprehensive guide to recycling and household waste procedures.
New Bin Collection Arrangements Information:
Below we provide some answers to some frequently asked questions on waste collection in our district – if you require further information, there is more information on the council website below or you can ask us and we’ll either know the answer or we can find the answer for you.
https://www.canterbury.gov.uk/bins-and-waste
What goes in what bin?
There is a really useful guide on the CCC website that details exactly what goes in what bin at the below web addresses:
https://www.canterbury.gov.uk/bins-and-waste/buy-new-bin-or-box/what-goes-your-bins-or-boxes
https://www.canterbury.gov.uk/bins-and-waste/where-put-your-waste
(There is too much information on what waste goes in what bin to effectively put on this report, but these websites are very comprehensive and easy to navigate).
Additionally, as part of the recent changes, a booklet was sent to every household in the district including stickers to put on each bin that explains what goes in each bin.
Basic summary of what goes in what bin:
- ● Black bin: general waste
- ● Red bin or box: paper and card
- ● Blue bin or box: glass, tin, and plastic
- ● Green bin: garden waste
- ● Food bin: leftover food
Please note: some items cannot go in your household bins – batteries, for example, can cause fires in bin trucks and should be taken to super markets for collection. What changes have been made? Several changes have been made to the way waste is collected:
- ● Discounts on blue and red bins and boxes are being offered to encourage the take-up of recycling bins – blue and red bins and boxes are now £10.
- ● Booklets have been distributed to every household in the district in November last year that explain what goes in each bin, and that was alongside stickers to put on each bin that explain what goes in each bin to help know which bin to put each waste type in.
● From January, bin collectors are checking for wrong items in bins before collecting them and leaving bins that are contaminated with a hanger on the left bins explaining why and providing information for what to do next.
Source:
https://news.canterbury.gov.uk/news/lets-work-together-to-get-recycling-sorted-says-council/
Why have these changes been made?
The changes to waste collection have been made to drive up recycling rates and reduce rates of waste contamination. This will help to save energy and raw materials, cut greenhouse gases, and help the environment.
Also, our recycling rates in the Canterbury district have been falling behind neighbouring districts and the national average for some time – we need to catch up.
High levels of contaminated waste means that truck loads of waste have been turned away from recycling facilities and burned instead of recycled, which is another issue we need to contend with.
Source:
https://news.canterbury.gov.uk/news/lets-work-together-to-get-recycling-sorted-says- council/
Where do I get a new bin?
You can order a new bin online on the CCC website at this web address:
https://www.canterbury.gov.uk/bins-and-waste/buy-new-bin-or-box/buy-new-bin-or-box
There are instructions provided on the above web address to get a new bin ordered.
How much does a new bin cost?
Full information on bin costs can be found at this web address:
https://www.canterbury.gov.uk/bins-and-waste/buy-new-bin-or-box/bin-and-box-prices
Summary of bin costs:
● 180L Black bin (not for recyclable materials): £57
- ● 180L Red bin (paper and card): £10
- ● 55L Red recycling box (paper and card): £10
- ● 240L Blue bin (glass, tins, and plastic): £24.20
- ● 55L Blue recycling box (glass, tins, and plastic): £10
- ● 240L Green bin (garden waste): £63
- ● 23L Food bin (leftover food): £12.50 If you have no room outside your property for a black bin, you can put out a purple sack instead and you can buy a roll of purple sacks from the council website for £10.15 at the web address below: https://www.canterbury.gov.uk/bins-and-waste/purple-rubbish-sacks
- All rubbish goes in the same section of the truck, why bother? People often say this to us, but it is not true. There are different sections within the bin truck; here is a quote from the council website: “Our recycling trucks are ‘split body’, which means that recycling is separated into two different sides. Our crews are trained to separate your blue and red recycling, and Canenco takes any issues with staff not getting things right very seriously; with disciplinary procedures followed if they need to be.” Source: https://www.canterbury.gov.uk/bins-and-waste/putting-wrong-waste-your-bins
- What happens to waste after it is collected? CCC is only responsible for collecting household waste, KCC then takes responsibility for processing and managing waste. Information on what happens to collected waste can be found on the KCC website here: https://www.kent.gov.uk/environment-waste-and-planning/rubbish-and-recycling/how-we-recycle-your-waste
- Further Questions?
- You can email us at harry.mckenzie@councillor.canterbury.gov.uk or keji.moses@councillor.canterbury.gov.uk or you can email the cabinet member for waste at charlotte.cornell@councillor.canterbury.gov.uk if your questions are not answered in this report or on the council website.
