Excess Rubbish

Policy

In light of our duty to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill and meet targets for the recycling of waste, there are policies in place regarding the collection of extra black bin waste. Our waste reduction and recycling targets .

It is council policy to only collect refuse which is contained within the appropriate container. Excess black bin waste will not be collected. This includes bags placed at the side of the bin and bags placed on top of the black bin. Bin lids should be closed. Bags stopping the lid from closing will be removed and left beside the bin after collection.

Advice

We would direct those with excess refuse on a regular basis to the advice below.

Since the introduction of the alternate week collection system in April 2003 we have been working with a number of larger families who were having trouble with excess rubbish.

Based on what we have learnt from this work we have developed advice for anyone who finds that they regularly have problems with too much rubbish. Following this advice has already helped many families to solve their problem with extra rubbish.

Excess Rubbish Advice (Word Document, 1.4 Mb)
Excess Rubbish Advice (PDF Document, 0.1 Mb)

Get the Most Out of the Recycling Service

It sounds obvious but it's worth checking that all of the materials we can collect are being separated into the containers provided. We can also provide extra red boxes, blue bags or one extra bin for compostable garden waste if you need it. Guide to what can be recycled

What Else Can Be Recycled?

Beverage Cartons - These are a common material found in households struggling to reduce their waste. Increases in recycling efforts and participation have meant that materials previously thought unrecyclable are now fully recyclable in many places. Residents often do not realise beverage cartons can be recycled, but they can, and by recycling these extra items you will find the amount of waste in your bin will reduce. Find out where to recycle cartons

Clothes and shoes - Textiles can be recycled in many different places and are more often than not, washed and reused and sent out to areas of the world who need quality clothing.That means saving on the energy used to recycle them into new clothes. There lots of places all over the borough that you can deposit old clothes and textiles. Find out where to recycle textiles

For more ideas please see our A-Z guide .

Get Rid of the Air

Bags of rubbish usually also contain trapped air. Removing this air before the bags are put in the bin can make a big difference to their size. It sounds obvious, but a lot of people leave squashing down bags until the bin is already full. This only squashes air out of the top bag or bags in the bin. Squashing each bag before it goes in the bin will make a much bigger difference.

Use All the Space

When it comes to getting as much in your bin as possible the rule is - the smaller the bags you use the better. Larger black bin bags quickly fill up the bin leaving lots of gaps in between them. Smaller bags fill all the spaces in the bin and compress much better. Even using a mixture of black bags and carrier bags will help fit more in.

Home Composting

Home Composting is an ideal way to remove vegetable peelings, fruit, tea bags, shredded paper and cardboard from your bin. Bins are provided at a discounted cost with information on how to get started. You will of course also have the benefit of making your own compost. Find out more about home composting

Food Waste Disposal Units

If you have any non-compostable food waste why not fit a kitchen food waste disposal unit to your kitchen sink. The food waste is ground into tiny particles and is carried off with your waste water to be treated and recycled into bio gas and liquid fertiliser.

Nappies

We recommend the use of real nappies and can provide advice on the types available and where to get hold of them. Leicestershire County Council also runs a £30 cashback scheme on initial purchases or on laundry services. For families with babies real nappies can be a big help in reducing waste. They are also a lot easier to use these days, can be used alongside disposables and come in lots of fun designs. Find out more about real nappies.

Packaging

Many people mention the amount of packaging on food as one of the reasons they have trouble with extra rubbish. The best advice we can give here is to try and avoid packaging where ever possible. Some fruit and vegetables can be bought loose in bags instead of in bulky plastic trays (mushrooms and tomatoes are good examples of this). In the case of other items there may be a choice between similar items with less packaging or similar items with packaging which is recyclable (e.g. juice in plastic bottles instead of cartons). Taking the less packaged or recycable options will save you space in your bin as well as having significant environmental benefits (reducing resource use and saving energy).

Other Tips

If you are worried about fitting all your waste into your bin, as well as following the advice above, there are also some other steps you can take to avoid having rubbish lying around.

Your wheelie bin has been designed to store rubbish and to stop smells getting out, and flies and other animals getting in. To get the most of your bin you should make sure that all your food waste and nappies are disposed of in the bin with the lid down. If you think you are going to struggle to get all your waste in the bin then keep clean packaging materials out of the bin in a bag until collection day. By keeping this clean material out of the bin you should be able to make more room for your food waste etc. On collection day you can then use any spare space in your bin for the clean material.

Don't forget that we have Household Waste and Recycling Sites and a bulky waste collection service for the disposal of unusual items, large items, electrical items etc.

Larger Families and Medical Conditions

Larger families or those with excess waste due to a medical condition may qualify for additional space for their refuse. Please contact the recycling and refuse section on 01530 454572 for more information.