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Environmental Services Newsletter
October 2026
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"Nature is not a place to visit, it is home"
Gary Snyder, American poet and environmental activist
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'Shake It Out' update
We have issued over 40,000 'Shake It Out!' stickers, which encourage residents to leave all recycling loose in their bin. The stickers are placed onto household recycling bins.
To help recycle as much as possible, the materials in your recycling bin must be loose and all bottles and cans must be empty. There should not be any plastic bags put in your recycling bin.
It's great to see that for over 600 houses since the summer, there has been a 10% reduction in the use of plastic bags.
We would like to say a huge thank you from us, as the reduction of plastic bags allows the sorting centre to recycle even more.
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Brain teaser - what am I?
- The modern versions of me were invented in the UK, in the late 1960's
- Older and more simple versions have been seen in pre-historic paintings
- I'm usually made of recycled HDPE High Density Polyethylene
- I store recycling safely, and I'm designed to move around with ease
Keep reading to find out the answer...
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Halloween is just around the corner...
After carving your pumpkin, you can use the chunks to make a delicious pumpkin soup!
Between 8 million to 22 million pumpkins are wasted every year in the UK, but there are lots of ways that you can make your pumpkin go further.
If you are disposing of your pumpkins, we advise you to break them up into smaller pieces and place them securely in your food bin.
Leaving your pumpkins in the countryside is dangerous as they can get lodged in-between vehicle tyres.
Decomposing pumpkins can be toxic to wild animals and pets. It can also be damaging to woodland ecosystems.
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Fly tipping update
Since our last update in September, we have issued another £7,250 worth of Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs).
At Maidstone Borough Council, we operate a zero tolerance approach to fly-tipping and waste crime.
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Remember that you can get small items removed, for free:
Book a legal bulky collection through the Maidstone Borough Council website:
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Black bin checks
We recently analysed some black bin waste at our transfer station and we found that 20% of the waste was paper and card that could have been recycled in a recycling bin.
If all the recyclable paper found in black bins was placed in the recycling bin instead, the overall recycling rate would increase by more than 10%.
Additionally, 11% was food waste that could have been put in a 23-litre food caddy.
Using a food caddy means your food waste is collected every week, helping to reduce smells in your black bin. The food waste is then processed into a liquid fertiliser for use at local farms.
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Christmas is coming around fast...
Every year, the Bank Holidays affect waste collection schedules. The collection day changes will affect every property and they will be announced soon with more detailed information.
In the meantime, some early tips for less waste at Christmas:
- If you plan to host, ask your guests what they would like to eat. This will reduce the amount of food that is thrown away.
- When buying a gift for someone, try and choose the highest quality that fits within your budget, as it is likely to last longer.
- Recycle your Christmas cards, or treat someone to a nice phone call instead.
- Buy rechargeable batteries early, so that they can be charged in time for Christmas.
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Brain Teaser answer...
What was I?
A wheeled recycling bin!
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If you have any questions, or if you have a recycling or waste subject that you would like us to cover in an upcoming issue, please get in touch:
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If you enjoyed reading this month's newsletter, please share it with others, so they can sign up too.
Other newsletters from Maidstone Borough Council include:
Climate Change and Biodiversity - Everything to do with sustainability
What’s On in Maidstone - For all events
News - Keep up to date
Consultations - Share your views
Visit Maidstone - The best attractions and places to stay
Business in Maidstone - Workshops, events and business support
Planning - Updates on recent planning decisions
Maidstone Museum - News, updates and current events
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