November 2024

Latest news

Don’t fear the ghosts of Halloween

Image courtesy of Hubbub

Did you know that almost every scrap of the pumpkin - flesh, seeds, and pulp - can be eaten?

That just leaves the stalk! Once your pumpkin is no-longer needed for decoration, remember it can be used up – don’t wase it.

Before your pumpkin heads to the food waste bin, consider if it could be turned into a yummy dish for the family to enjoy.

Yeovil Recycling Site closed for maintenance on Friday, 8 November

Residents in the Yeovil area are being advised that Yeovil Recycling Site will be closed for the day on Friday, 8 November, so our recycling site contractor, Biffa can undertake resurfacing work.

The nearest alternative sites are Chard and Somerton.

The site will reopen on Saturday, 9 November.

Recycling sites are open from 9am to 5pm midweek, and from 9am to 4pm at the weekend.

You can look up opening days and locations for all 16 of our Recycling Sites online.

Keep up to date with all Waste Services updates via our @SomersetWaste Facebook page.

Fireworks, safety, clear up and waste reduction

Stock image by Daniel Gregoire from unsplash

If you’re celebrating bonfire night this week, these simple steps can help you have a safe and low-waste night.

Be sure to follow the advice from the fire service and other experts.

Before putting fireworks in your rubbish, drench embers and soak used or part-spent fireworks in a bucket of water to prevent a fatal fire.

Never use a bonfire as an opportunity to burn waste – rubber, foam, plastics and paints will all release toxic gases when burning. For a safe bonfire, stick to untreated wood, dry branches, and garden wastes, including leaves. Avoid adding wet garden materials as they will release more smoke.

Watch for wildlife by checking the bonfire for hedgehogs or other creatures hiding within the pile. And protect pets by warning local people about any fireworks or fire that could disturb animals.

Use bonfire night to use up leftovers and reduce food waste, raid the fridge, freezer and cupboards to make great party food, such as fillings for baked potatoes or toasties on a cold night.

Please don't set off sky lanterns because of the fire risk and danger to wildlife from the remains.

Misfired or partly spent fireworks must be soaked in water and the manufacturer or supplier contacted for disposal guidance.

Reuse

Somerset community grant has helped 3 Somerset groups thrive

Several local waste reducing groups are now benefitting from grants provided jointly by us and our collections contractor SUEZ.

The Best Before Food Store in Wellington, Prodigal Bikes of Crewkerne and Victoria Park Community Centre in Bridgwater have all benefitted from the Waste Not Somerset Fund. The fund was set up to support community projects that stop or reduce waste and is managed by Somerset Community Foundation.

1,000s more residents to recycle plastic bags and wrapping from home

Since October, even more Somerset homes have been able to recycle plastic bags and wrapping from home.

We’ve been part of the national FPF FlexCollect trial since May 2023 with around 3,500 residents in Frome having these flexible plastics added to their weekly recycling collection.

The trial has now been extended to cover more 25,000 homes, including some in Wells, Draycott, and Chilcompton.

In its first year, the Frome trial has seen 27 tonnes of soft plastics collected for recycling – about 95,000 collection bags, all of which were recycled in the UK.

The collections include carrier bags, bread bags, confectionary wrappers, crisp packets, food wrapping and cling film. The plastics are picked up as part of the usual weekly recycling collections and recycled in new products and packaging.

If you haven’t received any information, then you're not part of the trial at this time.

At present, the only way to recycle plastic bags and wrapping is at supermarket front of store collection points. Local collection points can be found via Recycle Now's Recycle an item search facility.

Get it sorted!

Your Christmas collections wrapped up

Recycling and rubbish collections will once again change over the festive period, please take note to make sure you don't miss your collections.

CAG Somerset prove the power of community repair

CAG Somerset provides free support to a thriving network of local Community Action Groups. The initiative is jointly backed by Somerset Council and SUEZ. Following October’s International Repair Day, the CAG Somerset team shared the impact that repair groups they work with have had.

Join a community repair group close to you

We’ve got more than 20 repair groups that span the county, all run by volunteers and each able to fix a variety of items.

We’ve made it even easier to find one that’s local to you. Our interactive map can help you to find your nearest group.

Volunteers at repair groups can help with anything from sewing repairs, fixing a vacuum cleaner to a bicycle. It's always best to check with your local group to see what it can do.

Somerset repair groups are run by volunteers and several in Somerset are supported by CAG Somerset, a free-to-join membership organisation that helps a thriving network of local Community Action Groups.

Buy nothing new month

Image courtesy of Keep Britian Tidy

Recycling is good, but we can do better...

Whether it’s cherishing the things we already have, repairing things rather than sending them to landfill, or finding new homes for the things no longer needed – there are many simple ways to love things for longer.