Old waste collection dates to be thrown out

Wednesday 15 August 2018

Households will receive information in the post today about new arrangements for waste and recycling collections, as thousands of homes prepare for a bin night switch.

Under the new program, separate collections for food waste and glass will begin in two weeks’ time – when general “black bag” rubbish will switch to fortnightly collections. New household waste charges will come into effect from the start of 2019, including a new pay as you throw element for general refuse, starting in February.

Due to be delivered today, the front of the information packs will tell people what night of the week to put their waste and recycling out for collections from 2 September, and a calendar inside will say what else to put out for pick-up each week. 

States Recycling Officer Tina Norman-Ross said the packs being delivered this week were important information for households. 

“With the introduction of the new collections and the switch to fortnightly pick up of general refuse, everyone is going to see a change from September in terms of the materials they put out each week.," she said.

“The reorganisation of some rounds means that some will also have a new collection night. However not all households are affected, and those that do see a change are not all affected in the same way. 

“We therefore decided it was best to write to everyone to confirm their collection night, along with the calendar of what materials will be picked up each week. Advisers will be out and about at various venues from Saturday to answer questions and a full list of times and places is also included in the pack. That way, hopefully everyone will be ready for when the new arrangements come into effect next month.” 

This is the biggest change to household waste collections since the introduction of kerbside recycling in 2014. Traditional blue and clear recycling bags will continue their alternate week collections.

On clear bag weeks, households in St Sampson’s and St Peter Port will also have a collection of food waste and glass recycling. All other parishes will have a collection of food waste and general refuse. 

For blue bags weeks, the collection will switch to food waste and general refuse in St Peter Port and St Sampson’s, and food waste and glass in all other parishes. 

Current collection nights still stay the same in Castel, Vale, Torteval, St Saviour’s, and Forest. However all other parishes will see some changes. 

For instance, collections in St Andrew’s will move to a Thursday night, and households in St Martin’s who currently put out their waste and recycling picked up on a Thursday night will switch to a different day. More densely populated areas of Town will continue to have weekly collections of black-bag rubbish.