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Autumn Edition

Please read below for the latest updates and information on the recycling and waste service. Filled with advice about how to have a green Halloween, we hope you enjoy this spook-tacular newsletter.

Halloween Pumpkins

Did you know, a scary 18,000 tonnes of uneaten pumpkins are thrown away each year in the UK after being carved?! Pumpkins aren’t just for carving; the flesh can also be reused into many fang-tastic recipes for the whole family to tuck into!

Once your pumpkin is carved and hollow you can use it for compost, or it can be chopped up and placed in your kerbside food waste caddy where it will be turned into a soil conditioner at our facility in Padworth.

For tasty recipes and pumpkin decoration ideas click the button below.

Schools Vehicle Design Competition

We’re delighted to announce the winning designs of the school livery competition!

The competition was a huge success receiving over 500 entries! The standard of designs was very high with many unique, colourful and inspirational designs, making the shortlisting a very challenging process.

Thank you to everyone who submitted a design and congratulations to Evie and Anish! We can’t wait to see the new designs in operation from November.

Waste Journey

Click/tap the image to open a high-resolution pdf

In July we shared more about where our recycling ends up - helping residents connect with their waste and making the waste journey more transparent. This latest version, updated for 2023/24 shows where your recycling went after it is processed at our waste management facility at Padworth in West Berkshire, which is managed and operated by our contractors Veolia.

Veolia employ, enforce and police a stringent duty of care audit to ensure that material goes to genuine outlets that recycle it into new products. The new slides provide full transparency to our residents.

We’re proud that 100% of food and garden waste is collected and recycled into a soil conditioner right here in West Berkshire. To see the process, click the button below.

For more information on where your recycling goes, click the button below.

Coffee Pod Recycling

In July we added used aluminium and plastic coffee pods to the items collected at both Newtown Road and Padworth Recycling Centres in West Berkshire. This has been done in partnership with Veolia and Podback, the pod recycling service, 

All pods are recycled in the UK. They are shredded to remove the coffee, then the plastic and aluminium are used to create new products. Since launch we have collected over a tonne of recyclable material which will now be turned into packaging, car components and building products. Even the coffee grounds will be treated by anaerobic digestion to create renewable energy (biogas) and soil improver.

Please tip pods loose into the containers. Bags and other packaging must not be included. To use the recycling centres, you must hold a valid permit and book a slot prior to visiting which can be done by clicking below.

Household Batteries

Kerbside battery collections were introduced last month - providing an easy and convenient way to recycle used household batteries and increase our kerbside recycling. Please leave your used batteries in a clear plastic bag on top of your black wheelie bin on collection day.

Putting batteries directly into wheelie bins could cause them to ignite during the waste compaction process. Veolia's collection team will collect the most common household batteries. Since launch we’ve already collected a tonne of batteries helping to reduce the risk of fires in bin lorries but also increase the safety of Veolia’s collection team.

For more information, check out our 60 seconds waste catch up with Councillor Stuart Gourley below.

Fly-Tipping

Getting someone to collect your waste? Do you know your responsibilities and what questions to ask to avoid a possible duty of care fine?

Whilst most refuse companies are reputable, there are a few looking to make a quick buck by claiming to dispose of your items responsibly but instead fly tipping your waste.

To help prevent fly tipping we advise everyone to follow the S.C.R.A.P code:

S - Suspect

C - Check

R - Refuse

A - Ask

P - Paperwork

Anyone caught fly-tipping could be liable for prosecution. If found guilty, punishments could include an unlimited fine, or five years' imprisonment. In April 2024, our fines for fly tipping increased to £1,000 and for duty of care offences to £400.

Don’t let just anyone take your rubbish until they give you proof that they are legitimate; also note their vehicle's registration plate. You can check whether they are registered as a waste carrier by checking the environment agency website by clicking the relevant button below.

To report fly tipping, again click the relevant button below.

Food Waste

Thank you to everyone who is recycling food waste through our weekly kerbside collection service. We are recycling around 80 tonnes of food waste from West Berkshire households each week, however our research shows over 20% of black bin waste is still made up of food waste.

Food waste isn’t just plate scrapings, mouldy bread, potatoes or meat. It's tea bags, coffee grounds, eggshells, apple cores, onion/potato peel, white meat bones and any other part of a food item that you don’t eat. If you don’t compost these at home, make sure you recycle them in our weekly food waste collection service.

There are lots of great ideas and practices we can adopt to help reduce food waste. Click below to watch the second of three entertaining 'Rubbish Rumours' videos we launched to help dispel the rumours of food recycling.

Educational Sessions

Don’t forget, our educational sessions for primary school aged children continue within West Berkshire.

We have an officer available to provide free classroom sessions to both schools, clubs, and local Scout Groups on the topic of 'Reduce, Reuse and Recycle' including educational books.

If you would like any more information about these sessions, including booking us in for this year, please email: recycle@westberks.gov.uk

Draft Waste Management Strategy 2025-2032

And finally...

• Don't forget to have your say on our Draft Waste Management Strategy 2025-2032. The survey closes at midnight on the 6th November. To view the strategy and to provide feedback, click the button above.

• Follow us on Facebook@recycleWestBerkshire so you don't miss anything such as our FREE soil conditioner giveaways.

• For more information about our services please visit: www.westberks.gov.uk/rubbishandrecycling