JUNE 2013
Purpose and Scope
To confirm the policy and procedures associated with the segregation of waste for recycling
and disposal and contaminated refuse and recycling containers.
Applicable to:
ALL ( X ) Officers of Council ( ) Management Contractor ( ) Members ( )
Policy
1.
To establish the policy and procedures associated with the segregation of waste for
recycling and disposal of contaminated refuse and recycling containers. This policy
covers Flats where communal recycling and waste facilities are provided. Flats which
have individual bins are covered by the Segregation of Waste Policy for Houses.
2.
All containers will be liable to inspection prior to emptying to establish that they
contain only the required materials as detailed below.
3.
Communal general waste (rubbish) bins
These bins should contain non-recyclable waste.
They should not contain:
a) Glass bottles and jars, food and drinks through cans, cardboard, plastic bottles,
pots , tubs and trays or cartons – which can be recycled in the green ‘mixed
recycling’ bin.
b) Compostable liners which contain the compostable seedling logo containing food
waste which can be placed in the brown food waste bin for composting.
c) Paper which can be recycled in the blue ‘paper’ bin.
d) Other materials which are able to be recycled at Household Waste Recycling
Centres e.g. batteries or electrical items.
All material should be contained within the provided bins.
Any items not contained within the bin will be the responsibility of the managing
agent to clear, including any fly-tipped waste.
In the event that these bins contain recyclable waste they will be emptied to prevent
a build up of waste.
4.
Green ‘mixed recycling’ bins
These bins should contain glass bottles and jars, food and drinks cans, cardboard,
plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays and cartons. All material should be placed in the
bins loose (not bagged) and should be fully contained within the bins.
If additional containers are required to be provided, residents should contact Waste
Services on 0800 3286023 to request these.
Any bin found to contain incorrect items will not be collected and left un-emptied.
Segregation of waste- Flats
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Waste
Waste && Recycling
Recycling Policies
Policies
Segregation of Waste (including contamination) Policy for Flats
JUNE 2013
5.
Brown ‘food waste’ bin
This should contain organic waste only. This should be mainly food waste but may
include cut flowers, and small amounts of garden waste e.g. cuttings from house
plants.
It is recommended that residents place all their food waste into this bin either loose or
using Council provided compostable liners/liners containing the compostable logo
(including paper liners). Three roles of caddy liners will be provided annually to
residents of flats which is considered to be reasonable use.
Kitchen caddy’s should not be placed out for collection.
Any bin found to contain non-compostable liners or items other than food/organic
waste will be rejected and will remain uncollected.
Our waste collection contractor will return when possible to empty the food bin for
land filling.
No other bags or receptacles containing food waste will be collected.
6.
Blue ‘paper’ bin
The paper bin should contain paper only. No other recyclable material including
cardboard or waste items should be presented within this container.
7.
Education and Enforcement
If recycling containers do not contain the correct materials in accordance with the
segregation of waste policy they will be deemed to be contaminated and may not be
emptied. The following actions will then be initiated:
All known managing agents will have received a letter detailing information on our
service.
Should contamination occur on the:First incident - a contamination sticker will be placed on the respective container
detailing why the container could not be emptied. If contamination is light (one or two
small items) the crew will remove and dispose of the contamination in the general
waste bin and empty the recycling/ food waste bin.
If this is not possible due to significant contamination the bin will be left un-emptied
and reported back to the waste collection contractor.
An additional collection to empty the container will be scheduled within five working
days and the contents sent to landfill.
A letter will be sent to the relevant managing agent (where known) detailing the type
of contamination, advice on managing contamination and policy information including
information on charges for the rectification of contaminated bins (upon request from
the managing agent) should contamination occur in the future.
Segregation of waste- Flats
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Waste & Recycling Policies
If extra bags of easily identifiable clean recyclable material are placed next to the bin
these will be taken by the contractor, recyclables should not be placed in black bags.
JUNE 2013
Charges will be a reflection of the costs to the Council in providing the additional
collection and associated administration.
A letter will be sent to all residents of the block where the contamination occurred
informing residents of the correct recycling bin usage, plus notification of possible
collection re-charges to management agent. A copy of this letter will be placed in the
flats’ foyer.
Second incident - a contamination sticker will be placed on the respective container
detailing why the container could not be emptied.
If light contamination (one or two items) the waste collection crew will dispose of the
contamination and empty the bin.
If the food, mixed recycling bins or paper bins contain heavy contamination this will be
reported back and a letter will be sent to the relevant managing agent detailing
contamination and notification of charges. The managing agent can then choose
whether to pay to have the bin/s emptied or instruct their own staff to remove the
contamination from the bin.
A further letter will be sent to all residents of the offending block together with details
of correct recycling bin usage, this will inform residents of what charges (if any) were
levied to the managing agent and the possibility that future contamination will lead to
removal of the recycling bins. This letter will also be placed in the flats’ foyer.
In addition posters on the recycling requirements will be checked and replaced if
necessary in the foyer.
Once payment has been received the contaminated bin will be reported to the waste
collection contractor and a collection to empty the container will be arranged within
five days and the contents sent to landfill.
NHDC/waste collection officers will continue to monitor the contamination levels of the
bins.
Future incidents - a contamination sticker will be placed on the respective container
detailing why the container could not be emptied.
If a period of three months has elapsed since the last incident then the process will
begin as if it were a first incident.
If contamination is a regular occurrence letters will be sent to the managing agent
reminding them of their duties and informing them of the charges for the continuing
management of contaminated bins and their options for rectification.
Residents of the flat block may receive a notice under S.46, Environmental Protection
Act 1990 formally advising of the requirements to facilitate the collection and disposal
of waste appropriately. A copy will be placed in the flats’ foyer.
The recycling collection service will only continue or resume at such time as the
Council is satisfied that contamination has been removed/ has reduced and waste
and recycling can be managed effectively at the block of flats and in accordance with
Segregation of waste- Flats
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JUNE 2013
NHDC/waste collection officers will continue to monitor the contamination levels of the
bins and attempt to identify specific residents who remain unclear about their
responsibilities.
If contamination or excess (side) waste or fly-tipping occurs; future action will be
discussed with the managing agent, which may lead to formal investigations under
the Councils Enforcement Policy and/or the removal of recycling bins if repeated
attempts to support residents to recycle have failed.
In order to avoid the accumulation of refuse at the premises the refuse bins may
continue to be emptied at the Councils discretion, any additional collections over and
above the standard Council service may be requested by the managing agent but
may be charged to the managing agent where additional costs are incurred by the
Council.
5. Definitions
Cans means food and drink cans – rinsed to remove food residue.
Glass means glass bottles and jars of any colour - rinsed to remove food residue.
Cardboard means all types of cardboard for example cereal boxes and corrugated
packing boxes – no food residue.
Plastics means rigid household plastic food packaging (no films or bags) e.g. bottles,
pots, tubs and trays - rinsed to remove food residue.
Cartons means for example, tetra pak cartons - eg. soup or juice cartons – rinsed to
remove food residue.
Paper means all paper excluding tissue paper e.g. newspaper, magazines,
pamphlets, telephone directories, Yellow Pages and junk mail.
Links to relevant information:
Contracts
Other policies (state)
Collections
Provision of Containers
For further advice contact :
Service Manager – Waste & Recycling
Last Updated: 6th January 2014
To be reviewed no later than : Summer 2015
Policy Sponsor :
Head of Leisure & Environmental Services
Segregation of waste- Flats
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Waste & Recycling Policies
the Council’s reasonable requirements to recycle. This is to prevent a reduction in
the quality of material being sent for processing.