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Sorted!
Waste news
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Image courtesy of SUEZ
Recent fires in Somerset are a reminder to dispose of batteries, vapes and gas canisters safely. These items can cause serious fires if they are put in the wrong bin or mixed in with recycling. Batteries and vapes should never go in the rubbish bin. Instead, they should be placed separately in small, clear tied plastic bags and left on top of a recycling box for collection. Gas canisters should not be put in household bins or recycling and should be taken to a Somerset recycling site for safe disposal.
At the Taunton recycling facility, SUEZ staff responded quickly to a fire involving a skip, using a forklift truck to move it into the open so that fire crews could deal with it safely. Their prompt action helped reduce the risk to people on site and limit damage.
In a separate incident, a collection crew noticed smoke coming from the rear of their vehicle. After calling emergency services, they safely tipped the burning load onto the roadside, where it was extinguished and cleared. Their quick response helped prevent the situation from becoming more serious. Well done to our quick-responding teams.
SUEZ collection crew
Somerset Council has teamed up with SUEZ and the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to give unwanted bulky items a second chance. Good-quality furniture collected from residents can now be reused rather than recycled, helping reduce waste and support a well-known charity.
Items are checked at a depot in Bridgwater before being passed on to the BHF shop in Taunton, where they’re sold at affordable prices, raising funds for life-saving research.
Residents can opt-in to reuse when booking a bulky waste collection, as long as items are in good condition and meet safety standards. Anything unsuitable for resale will still be recycled.
Recycling is great but buying less, reusing and repairing is always better for the environment. Working with community groups and charities helps to extend the life of items while also supporting a good cause.
The British Heart Foundation runs second-hand charity furniture shops across Britain and will be able to sell items on for reuse.
We’re proud that our Somerset food waste recycling campaign was shortlisted at the Awards for Excellence in Recycling and Waste Management in London. The campaign, delivered in partnership with SUEZ, has helped more residents to recycle their food waste and has already led to more recycling bin orders, more food waste being collected and savings in disposal costs.
It was also great to see two other projects involving our Waste Services team shortlisted too – The Fixy project and the Flexible Plastic Fund - FlexCollect Project. A brilliant achievement for everyone involved.
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Residents in Taunton can now donate unwanted smart tech at a new drop-off point in Taunton Library. The service has been set up through The Fixy Project in partnership with Donate IT, making it easier for people to pass on old devices such as laptops, tablets and mobile phones.
Donated devices will be securely data-wiped by Donate IT before being refurbished and passed on to people who need them, helping to reduce waste and support digital inclusion.
If your old tech is no longer needed but still has life left in it, why not give it a second chance? Examples of items that may be accepted include laptops, tablets, mobile phones, desktop computers, keyboards and mice. Please also bring any chargers and cables for your items. You can find the full list of accepted items online on the Fixy website.
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Great Big Green Week is a chance to celebrate the small changes that can add up to something bigger. From 6 to 14 June 2026, communities across the country will be coming together to take action for nature, climate and the places they live – and Somerset is no exception.
For Somerset, that means thinking about the everyday choices that help create a cleaner, greener future. Wasting less, repairing more, reusing what we can and recycling all support Somerset Council’s wider priorities around sustainability and protecting our environment.
Summer often sparks the urge to sort things out, whether it is a packed cupboard, an overflowing garage or a spare room full of forgotten items. Before you head for the bin, it is worth asking yourself - could it be used again?
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If you subscribe to the garden waste collection service, you may soon receive an email renewal notice. However, there’s no need to wait for your notification before you renew.
The simplest way to renew your subscription is online, visit our garden waste collection webpage.
You can also follow the link to check when your subscription is due, or sign up as a new subscriber.
If you provide an email address, we’ll email you a renewal notice in the month before your subscription is due.
Due to the high costs of postage and administration, we no longer post renewal notification letters. We recommend making a note in your calendar or diary ahead of your garden waste subscription expiry date
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Summer is great for barbecues, picnics and eating outdoors, but it can also mean more food ends up in the bin. Warm weather, extra shopping and busy weekends can make it harder to keep on top of what you have at home.
A few simple habits can make a big difference. Check the fridge, freezer and cupboards before you shop so you only buy what you need. Check your fridge temperature, you may need to adjust the settings to keep it cool if your home is hotter than usual. The ideal temp for your fridge is between 0-5C, which can help to keep food fresher for longer. Check out this handy guide on setting your fridge’s temperature.
Keep an eye on salad, fruit, dairy products and leftovers in hot weather, and freeze anything you will not use in time. If you are cooking for friends or family, plan portions carefully and turn any extras into lunches or easy meals the next day. Waste less, save more and make the most of your summer food.
For more simple food ideas, check out the recipe section from Love Food Hate Waste.
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When hot weather continues for a long time, it increases the likelihood of flies on food waste. To reduce the chance of this, we recommend to:
- Lock the lid of your brown food waste bin whenever it is out for collection.
- Leave it in the shade if possible, especially in hot weather.
- Keep your caddy clean by lining it with newspaper or compostable liners.
- Some residents put food waste in compostable liners into their freezers between collections. This prevents smells, pests and vermin.
- Use washing up liquid to clean your caddy or bin. White wine vinegar also works well and is an environmentally friendly disinfectant.
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