NEWS | Herefordshire Council agrees ambitious new recycling and household waste plans

Residents and business owners across Herefordshire will be provided with new rubbish and recycling collection arrangements from late 2023. The news follows a decision made by Herefordshire Council cabinet members today (Thursday 25 November 2021).

The changes include a new weekly food waste collection service and a fortnightly, seasonal garden waste collection service. Currently, 40 per cent of the contents of residual waste (black bins) could be recycled. The council are planning to meet stringent environmental targets identified in the waste strategy and are introducing the service after residents told councillors in a consultation on collection options that more needs to be done to help increase recycling.

New rubbish and recycling collections being introduced from late 2023

The enhanced service, providing much more recycling capacity, comprises the following collection “streams”, which will improve both the quantity and quality of recycling:

• New bin. Paper and cardboard will be collected separately in new 240-litre wheelie bins
• Existing green bin. Metals (tins and cans), most plastics (pots, tubs, trays and bottles) and glass
• Existing black bin. Anything that cannot be recycled or put into food waste
• Food waste. We will provide all households with a new, 23-litre food caddy and liners 
• Garden waste bin. Residents can opt for a seasonal garden waste collection

How the new collection scheme will work:

The council’s enhanced service will improve the quantity and quality of recycling

The council will work with managing agents, residents associations and people who live in flats to ensure they have a service that reflects their needs and provides maximum opportunities for them to recycle. 

As is currently the case, larger families, families using disposable nappies and those with medical needs will still receive additional capacity. These are considered on a case by case basis.

The cabinet also agreed changes to the waste disposal contract that will see a 95 per cent reduction in waste being sent to landfill to just one per cent from April 2022.

Welcome news

News of the new waste arrangements was welcomed by Cllr Gemma Davies:

“We have listened to our residents who told us they wanted more opportunities to recycle. Our new system provides more capacity to recycle from 2024. We know that for people living in flats or for larger families this will not be easy. We also will be looking for ways to help people in those circumstances and will say more about that in the future.

“This is just one part of our ambitious plans for helping people to reuse more, recycle more and waste less. I am also very pleased to have secured savings on our waste disposal contract and greater protection for when recyclers want to send materials outside of Europe. I am delighted that we will be achieving a 95 per cent reduction in waste going to landfill from next April to just one per cent.”