Sorted!

Residents' Waste

Newsletter

June 2023

News

Happy birthday to Stig of the Dump! Stig of the Dump was first published 60 years ago in June 1963. Clive King’s novel was an instant children’s classic and spawned some must-see TV for kids in 80s. These days we don’t call them ‘the dump’ or ‘the tip’, we go for recycling sites. They receive nearly 1.5 million visits a year and take a huge range of different materials.

A recycling result to celebrate

Thanks to you, our Somerset residents, we’re recycling more than ever before. We recently looked at 3,000 Somerset homes and found that 91% of us are actively recycling. That’s up from the 85% recorded when this analysis was last carried out five years ago.

And when it comes to food waste recycling, the improvements are even better with 72% of households recycling compared to 62% in the 2018 survey. Industry experts WRAP consider 55% to be a high rate for food waste recycling.

We’re committed to a greener, more sustainable county and these latest ‘participation analysis’ results show that more residents than ever feel the same.

Why should I sort waste into different boxes?

Your pre-sorted waste produces high-quality recycling. It’s easier to get it turned into new goods and packaging in the UK. Thanks to your efforts, in 2021-22, an impressive 97.2% of the materials collected at the kerbside and at our recycling sites stayed in the UK.

Sorting recycling also speeds up collections, making life easier for crews and reducing the chance of missed collections.

Disruption to some collections

Regrettably, we’ve seen disruption and delays to some collections in recent weeks. We sincerely apologise for this and are working hard with our contractor to get things back on track.

A combination of factors has left crews unable to complete some of their scheduled collections. These include heavy bank holiday loads, large volumes of the cardboard, increased garden waste, vehicle breakdowns and traffic congestion linked to the Bath and West Show.

We make around 350,000 collections of one kind or another every week. The vast majority run smoothly, but we know it’s frustrating when any area is delayed, and we appreciate your patience when things don’t go to plan.

If your collection has been missed, please report it using our online form below. Crews will do their absolute best to return within two working days, and usually within one day.

Recycling sites to stop taking cartons

Thanks to the success of the Recycle More, cartons such as Tetra Paks will no longer be taken at recycling sites.

Since adding them to the weekly collections, the number of cartons (like those used for milk and juice) recycled from the kerbside has more than doubled while the amounts deposited at recycling sites has fallen dramatically, making it no longer viable to collect cartons on-site.

Cartons are currently accepted at 12 of our 16 recycling sites, but thanks to residents' uptake of the new scheme, these will cease being accepted from Monday, 12 June.

Last year, Somerset recycled close to ten tonnes of cartons each month, with less than half a tonne having been collected across the recycling sites.

To recycle your cartons at the kerbside, first flatten and then pop them into your green recycling box.

Spring has sprung and gardening season is here

With the growing season upon us, we’ll be spending more time outside, tending to our gardens and mowing lawns. But what’s the best way recycle your garden waste?

Garden waste can be composted in number of ways:

• If space allows, you can compost it at home. Order your reduced price compost bin at getcomposting.com.
• You can sign up to a garden waste collection.
• It can be taken to any of our 16 recycling sites.

Composting at home

Home composting is the recommended option for garden waste and those who have space to do so can order a subsided home composting bin from our partners at getcomposting.com. We do not recommend burning garden waste, as this can cause pollution and local nuisance.

Garden waste subscriptions

Now is the perfect time to sign up to our garden waste collection service, which has more than 56,000 subscribers.

Subscriptions can start any time of the year with the quickest and easiest way being online, via our Garden waste collections webpage.

Alternatively, you can subscribe by calling us on 0300 123 2224.

Collections are made fortnightly year-round (apart from a 2-week break during Christmas and New Year). Residents can either sign up to a pre-paid 180-litre wheeled bin or 90-litre compostable paper sacks. The price of a wheeled bin subscription for 2023/24 is £63.50 for 25 collections. For packs of ten garden waste sacks, it’s £31.10 and collections are booked on request.

Existing subscribers will be sent a reminder, by email or post, in the month before their subscription ends. For example, a mailing would be sent in May for those expiring in June. However, there’s no need to wait until you receive a reminder – subscriptions can be renewed at any time, and you’ll still get a full year’s service.

Take it to your local recycling centre

All 16 of our recycling centres accept garden waste for composting.

All garden waste stays in Somerset, going to one of several composting sites including Dimmer and Walpole, where it’s shredded and turned into compost. The end-product is sold as revive soil conditioner through all recycling sites.

Garden waste should not be put out for collection with refuse.

Reuse

Fixy’s first birthday

Somerset’s Fixy initiative celebrated its first birthday last month, having started the repair and reuse conversation with over 3,100 people since its launch.

Fixy works alongside Somerset’s repair network, visiting events, schools and businesses to promote repair, support repair events with tools and a PAT – portable appliance testing – safety service, encourage volunteers to get involved, and collect smart tech for reuse.

Fixy also runs a ‘tech take back’ service, accepting donations of unwanted or broken smart tech, such as laptops, tablets and smartphones. Donations are data-wiped and repaired as necessary by Somerset specialists Donate IT (a Somerset Community Interest Company), and passed onto schools, community groups and families who need them. Since it launched in May 2022, over 1,500 items have been donated for reuse in this way.

Repair groups

Whilst the importance of recycling is generally understood, it’s better to reuse or even prevent waste altogether. A way we can support this is to fix things that may be broken, rather than throwing them out or recycling them.

Somerset has a thriving network of repair groups aimed at reducing our throwaway culture and helping people to save money by offering a repair service for broken items.

Repair groups are increasing in popularity as people are becoming more budget and environmentally conscious. Groups are organised and run by volunteers who offer their time and skills to help mend broken items and keep them in use for longer.

Volunteers also help greet visitors, supply tea and coffee and restock supplies of cakes and other tasty treats.

Keep an eye on our Facebook page throughout July as we bring you a week dedicated to reuse.

Get it Sorted!

Keep our teams safe: Prevent fires in your waste

We’ve recently seen a number of fires in our trucks and at household recycling facilities. To help keep everyone safe and reduce the risk of fires starting, we’re asking you to be careful with your waste.

Batteries should be separated and put out for recycling in a clear, tied plastic bag, and placed on top of your recycling. Please don’t put them in with your general refuse.

Materials that pass through compactors or bailers which are contaminated with batteries, are at risk of combusting and catching on fire.

Small gas canisters including those used by camping stoves, cannot be recycled at the kerbside. Canisters should not be put in the bright blue recycling bags. Recycling in this container is not sorted until it goes through a mechanical system on site. If a gas canister goes through this process, it may catch fire. Do not put the canisters in your refuse bin, this is also very dangerous and increases the risk of a truck fire.

Small gas canisters are accepted at recycling sites free of charge.

Barbeques can cause hazards and fires. Disposable barbeques should be left to cool before they are thrown away. After it has been left to cool for a few hours, pour some cold water on top to be sure. To dispose of it responsibly, separate the materials by:

• Placing the extinguished coals and ash in your refuse; and
• foil trays in your recycling.
• Take the wire rack to the nearest recycling centre when you're next passing.

Flex collect – soft plastic trial begins in Frome

Last month, we launched our soft plastics trial in Frome involving 3,600 households. The trial, funded by central government and manufacturers, has enabled us to collect plastic wrappers such as bread bags and crip packets as an additional material for residents within the trial area.

Participating households have been asked to put out their soft plastics in the dedicated bags provided (also recyclable and made from recycled materials), alongside their other recycling.

Remember, only those who have been contacted in writing can take part in this trial. If you haven’t received our leaflets, please don’t put any plastic bags and wrapping out with your recycling. Our aim is to expand the trial to other areas in due course.

If you don't live in Frome, you can still recycle soft plastics at local collection points, often found in supermarkets.