0 POLICY FOR HOUSEHOLD WASTE & RECYCLING COLLECTIONS INTRODUCTION APPENDIX 1 This policy covers the new waste collection service for all domestic properties for non-recycling waste and materials for recycling. It also highlights key changes in policy with regard to properties not suitable for inclusion on the new waste collection scheme. The new service is being phased in between July 2012 and August 2013. SERVICE OBJECTIVES The Council agreed in 2011 to implement a new waste service with these key aims: To divert more household waste from landfill and therefore increase levels of recycling. To better meet customer needs. To provide a more consistent service. To provide a more cost efficient service. Following consideration by the council s Overview and Scrutiny Commission, the recommendations of which were accepted by the Council, the following policies have been drawn up to help these objectives to meet the targets of: An increase in recycling rates for over 40% Public satisfaction rates for the service between 70 and 80% Financial costs / savings as identified in the report to Council / Cabinet in 2010. Including plastic bottles and household card in the kerbside collection recycling service. The purpose of this policy is to explain the Council s Waste & Recycling Collection service. The policy covers the collection of household waste and recycling waste. It outlines how the system works and includes the whole of the Harrogate Borough Council area. TERMINOLOGY The policy covers all types of domestic properties: house, bungalow, maisonette, flat and Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMO s). Householder Also means Council Tax payer, occupier. In the case of domestic properties it refers to the occupier(s) of each property who receive a domestic waste and recycling collection service. Household Waste Constitutes waste arisings, which would normally be generated over a collection cycle (i.e. food scraps, packaging that cannot currently be recycled etc). The Council would not
deem children s toys, bikes, lino, carpets and garden equipment as normal waste arisings. (Please refer to the bulky collection policy for non standard items or contact our Customer Services Team for further advice). Recycling The Council provides various receptacles to enable the collection of paper, card, glass, cans, plastic bottles and garden waste for recycling (see section 1). STANDARD WASTE AND RECYCLING SERVICE Edge of Property or Curtilage Collection Containers used to store waste and recycling should be presented for collection at the kerbside or edge of property of residential properties, where access is available. This should be done in a manner that keeps footpaths and walkways free from obstruction. If this is not possible an alternative location must be agreed with the Council to allow for safe collection of materials. The location for the storage of waste and recycling on their property is a matter for the occupier of each premises as long as this is presented for collection as above. The Council aims to maximise participation in the new alternative weekly collection service using wheeled bins by including properties which have adequate storage at the front of the property. Council staff have assessed areas affected to take account of visual as well as other factors when assessing suitability for wheeled bins and have excluded properties where there is no or scant storage for the required containers. Household Waste Storage The standard collection service will be made using a 240 litre wheeled bin. Larger wheeled bins, up to 1280 litre, may be used at multi occupancy properties for the storage of Household Waste. How the Scheme Works Household Waste A fortnightly collection service is provided for household waste. Except in the case of difficult to service properties etc. (please see section 6) only household waste that is presented at an accessible point adjacent to the highway will be collected by the collection crews. In the event of this not being practicable or safe, due to issues with vehicle access for example, then an alternative suitable location will be specified. Where appropriate, consultation with the households concerned will be undertaken. The wheeled bin remains the property of Harrogate Borough Council and must be left at the property when residents move. Residents are responsible for the safe storage of bins at their address. New residents moving into existing properties should ensure bins issued to the property have been left. A charge will be made for replacement if they have been removed o If the customer is unsure of their collection day, they can contact Customer Services 01423 500600 or use the look up facility on the website
o Avoid putting any liquid waste into the household waste bins. o No hazardous waste is allowed i.e. paint, chemicals. For disposal of these items please contact the Customer Services Unit or the Council s advice on the website. Bins containing the wrong materials will be considered contaminated, and these will not be collected. The resident will be requested to decontaminate the bag/bin themselves and present it the following fortnight for collection. Bags/bins which are contaminated will have an advisory sticker attached to inform the resident why they have not been emptied. Harrogate Borough Council reserve the right to withdraw the service from any resident that repeatedly leaves out contaminated containers for collection. How the Scheme Works - Recycling Dry Recycling A fortnightly collection service is provided for recycling. Except in the case of difficult to service properties etc. (please see section 6) recycling waste should be presented.at an accessible point adjacent to the highway. If this is not possible, an alternative location must be agreed with the Council to allow for safe collection of materials. Where appropriate, consultation with the households concerned will be undertaken. Residents are required to place paper, cans, glass, card (small pieces of household card, e.g. cereal boxes) and plastic bottles in the containers provided for the safe storage and collection of the recyclable materials. Glass, cans and foil should be rinsed where possible and put into the box for collection. It is not necessary to sort these materials into different boxes. Any of the materials can be placed in either box. Card (e.g. cereal,soap powder boxes, greeting cards etc.), newspapers, magazines, leaflets and flyers, catalogues, telephone directories, writing paper, junk mail and envelopes should be placed in the bag for collection. Boxes/bags/bins containing the wrong materials will be considered contaminated, as will boxes containing dirty recycling and these will not be collected. The resident will be requested to decontaminate the box/bag themselves and present it the following fortnight for collection. Boxes/bags which are contaminated will have an advisory sticker attached to inform the resident why they have not been emptied. Harrogate Borough Council reserve the right to withdraw the service from any resident that repeatedly leaves out contaminated containers for collection. The box/bag provided by the council remains the property of HBC and must be left at the property when residents move. Residents are responsible for the safe storage of boxes/bins/bags at their address. New residents moving into existing properties should ensure boxes/ bags issued to the property have been left. A charge will be made for replacement if they have been removed.
Lids for boxes are available upon request at a cost to the resident. The lid must be removed by the resident prior to collection; if the lid is left on the box will not be emptied. Green Waste The council s policy is to suspend green garden waste collection in December, January and February. This policy has been introduced because tonnages collected are very low in this period. Hedge cuttings, twigs and small branches, grass cuttings, leaves, cut flowers, prunings, plants should be placed in the brown lidded bin for collection. Garden waste must not be included in domestic bins Properties comprising a single garden and more than one individual residence can be provided with an additional garden waste bin. Garden Waste wheeled bins that have had waste compacted down in them so that they are too heavy and/or too difficult to empty will not be emptied because they will be too heavy to move safely and/or too heavy to empty on the vehicle and/or the waste will not be able to be extracted from the bin during the emptying process..flats/hmos/communal Recycling HBC may provide communal bins for dry recyclables where there is appropriate storage/ suitable site and the bins can be accessed for collection. An officer will determine the size of the containers. Any communal recycling facilities provided will initially be on a three-month trial basis in order to assess the viability of the scheme. HBC reserves the right to withdraw communal recycling facilities from a site if the facilities are deemed to be unsuccessful or no longer suitable at any time. HBC reserve the right to remove the recycling service where residents are not acting in accordance with policy. HBC will only look to reinstate the service upon the resident signing a written agreement to act in accordance with policy in future. Inclement Weather wherever possible the collection crew will return later on the day of collection or on the next available working day The Customer Services Unit publicises alternative arrangements for the collection of household waste and recycling, these being subject to Health and Safety considerations and guidance from the Highways Authority. Bank Holidays Slippage and catch up service times around Bank Holidays are informed by calendars, and/or stickers.
General Principles Household Waste and Recycling will be collected on a regular basis on designated days unless there are exceptional circumstances i.e. adverse weather Residents who have waste items too large to be placed in Council sacks or bins can take advantage of the bulky items collection policy through the Bulky Waste Collection Service. Further details can be found at http://www.harrogate.gov.uk/ensv/pages/bulky Waste-Items.aspx If spillages occur all efforts will be made to clear up littered waste. The Council cannot guarantee that a liquid spillage will be successfully removed due to issues arising from the type of liquid waste spilt (i.e. gloss paint, oils can stain very quickly) all efforts will be made to deal with the spillage without causing damage to the surface. Periodic monitoring of the service is undertaken to ascertain usage and efficiency. Residents may occasionally be requested to take part in postal or doorstep surveys regarding the service. Recycling contained in non-hbc boxes/bags may be collected if they can be readily identified and safely collected by our teams. The following sections explain how the service operates: 1. Waste & Recycling Collection Services Containers 2. Collection Point 3. Assisted Collections 4. Side Waste/Closed lids 5. Additional or Different-Sized Containers 6. Difficult to Service Properties 7. Replacement Containers 8. Overweight and Contaminated Containers 9. Charities, Ecclesiastical Premises, Parish and Village Halls and Youth Clubs 10. Missed Collections 11. Collection Times 12. Mixed Hereditament Properties 1. Waste & Recycling Collection Service - Containers Domestic residential properties will normally be provided with the following collection service 2 x 55 litre boxes for the storage and collection of glass bottles, jars, plastic bottles, food, and drinks cans, empty aerosol cans and aluminium foil. A Blue re-usable sack for the storage and collection of card (e.g. cereal,soap powder boxes, greeting cards etc.), newspapers, magazines, leaflets and flyers, catalogues, telephone directories, writing paper, junk mail and envelopes should be placed in the bag for collection. A standard 240 litre grey lidded wheeled bin will be provided for the storage and collection of all remaining non-recyclable domestic waste.
2. Collection Points In situations where collections cannot be made from adjacent to the front, or rear, edge of the householder s property then the Council may (in order to maintain economic and efficient collections) identify central or other agreed collection points. Householders will be required to place their waste or recycling containers at the specified collection point on their scheduled day and then retrieve them from the collection point at the end of the day once emptied. Remote Properties Residents living in remote properties or down lane ends e.g. along private roads, will be required to bring their waste to the edge of the nearest adopted public highway, where bins may be sited on a permanent basis. Where there are six or more properties, requiring a single collection point, a kerbside collection at a designated point will be agreed on the understanding that the access road is suitable for collection vehicles. 3. Assisted Collections Where a householder is unable to present their recycling containers or wheeled bin for collection due to infirmity, frailty due to old age, or ill health, we may be able to offer an assisted collection subject to approval and completion of an application form. The assistance list will be reviewed annually to ensure that only those with genuine needs qualify / remain on the list. Successful applicants will have their address entered on the relevant collection team s schedule. The crew will then collect, empty and return containers to the collection/ storage point on the property. The containers will be stored in a location visible to collection crews from outside the property (to aid the efficient collection of waste and avoid missed collections). In order to qualify for the assisted collection, householders need to meet the following criteria which prevent them from presenting their containers for collection:- They are suffering from a recognised medical illness or condition There is no carer or other able bodied person living at the address that can present the containers on their behalf 4. Side Waste, Closed Lids Each property is entitled to the standard 240 litres of general non-recyclable, household waste per collection. We will: Provide waste minimisation and recycling advice free to any householder Collect additional recyclable materials which can be recycled which can be readily identified by our teams, correctly separated in boxes or bags, as appropriate. We will not :
Collect more than 240 litres of general waste contained within the grey lidded wheeled bin from any property on collection day. The waste must be contained within the bin and should be presented for collection with the lid closed (to prevent spillage, nuisance and to safely contain the waste and prevent damage to the bin during the emptying process). Take any waste that is left beside or on top of the bin (side waste), or which prevents the bin from being located on the mechanical lifting machinery. An advisory sticker will be placed on relevant bins by the collection crew to notify the householder why a bin has not been emptied. Information gathered by collection crews about the side waste is given to the Council s Environmental Services Team, to enable them to support reduction in waste generation and improve recycling. (Garden waste left out for collection in prepaid HBC sacks will be collected). Collect any waste that is too large and heavy for the wheeled bin (carpets, plasterboard, etc.). Any waste that is too large for the wheeled bin or bulky items need to be collected via the bulky waste collection service or taken directly to the Household Waste Recycling Centres at Dallamires Lane, Ripon, Wetherby Road, Harrogate and Pennypot Lane, Harrogate. We will: Take reasonable quantities of additional landfill/household waste, securely presented in plastic sacks, in the catch up period during and after the Christmas and New Year bank holiday and during and after the Good Friday and Easter Monday bank holiday. This policy will be reviewed periodically to ensure maximum waste diversion from landfill. 5. Additional or Different-Sized Containers To encourage waste minimisation and recycling, we will only collect 240 litres of household waste contained within the grey lidded wheeled bin. We recognise however that some large households (6 persons or more) or households with excess waste due to an occupier having a certain medical conditions may produce more than 240 litres of waste at each collection despite fully participating in the recycling service. Householders may request additional capacity by completion and submission of an application form. Additional capacity is approved on the agreement that the household makes full use of the recycling service. We may carry out random spot checks and if materials that could be recycled are present then we may consider removing the additional capacity. After a reasonable period has elapsed from change in service provision, householders will be given the opportunity to exchange their standard sized 240 Litre wheeled bin for a smaller 140 Litre wheeled bin where amounts of waste generated are small. 6. Difficult to service properties Where properties are deemed unsuitable for a wheeled bin under this policy then the following methods of collection will apply:
a) Sack Collections The Council will provide a number of sacks consistent with the size of Wheeled Bin appropriate to that Household. On collection days the householder should present their sacks for collection at the kerbside or (e.g. where there is no pavement) at the edge of the property where access is available. This should be done in a manner that keeps footpaths and walkways free from obstruction. If this is not possible, an alternative location must be agreed with the Council to allow for safe collection of materials. b) Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMO s) - Bulk Containers can be used at domestic properties (mainly larger HMOs and block of flats) the size and type to be agreed with Harrogate Borough Council prior to use. The Council will seek to provide recycling containers at all locations. 7. New Build Properties Where a new property is constructed within the Borough that property will be added to the waste and dry recycling collection service and, if appropriate, to the waiting list for the green garden waste service. Any new property that is registered to be paying Council Tax will as a minimum be provided with the following: 1 x 240 litre wheeled bin for non-recyclable domestic waste. 2 x 55 litre boxes for the storage and collection of glass bottles, jars, plastic bottles, food and drinks cans, empty aerosol cans and aluminium foil. A Blue re-usable sack for the storage and collection of card (e.g. cereal,soap powder boxes, greeting cards etc.), newspapers, magazines, leaflets and flyers, catalogues, telephone directories, writing paper, junk mail and envelopes should be placed in the bag for collection Collection calendar. 8. Replacement Containers Bins which are damaged will be replaced or repaired free of charge if the damage was the result of mishandling by the crews, faulty manufacture or end-of-life. Replacement or repairs for other damage, lost or stolen bins etc. will be charged to the householder. Each case will be assessed individually. We aim to deliver a replacement bin within 7 days and in most circumstances the replacement will not be a brand new bin but a fully cleaned / refurbished secondhand bin. 9. Overweight or Contaminated Containers Where a crew member can not safely manoeuvre and position a wheeled bin onto the vehicle, or where the vehicle cannot lift the bin, then it will be left un-emptied and an advisory sticker placed on it explaining why. By law all vehicles have a safe working weight limit and wheeled bins have a maximum load limit and crews cannot override these. The most common reason for wheeled bins to be overweight is when they contain heavy items such as building material, metals, rocks etc. Once sufficient weight has been removed, the bin should be presented on the next scheduled collection date. We will not return to empty the bin before the next scheduled collection date. Where wheeled bins are found to be contaminated, householders will be notified by means of an advisory sticker placed on the bin requiring them to remove the offending material, dispose
of it in a responsible manner and present the bin out on the next collection date. We will not return to empty the bin before the next scheduled collection date. 10. Charities, Ecclesiastical Premises, Parish and Village Halls and Youth Clubs The collection of household waste from these premises is subject to a separate policy document. 11. Missed Collections Where a container has not been presented correctly i.e. presented too late then the household waste or recycling must wait until the next collection cycle before it is removed, In these circumstances householders will be required to return the containers to their property until the next collection. Where a container has been presented correctly and has not been collected then the Council will aim to remedy missed collections within five working days from when the council was made aware of the missed collection In adverse weather the following will apply; Wherever possible the collection crew will return later on the day of collection or on the next available working day If the operational problem or inclement weather continues longer than one planned collection then on the next scheduled collection the Council will; Take up to four additional bags of non recyclable waste Take all clearly identified and separated recycling If the operational problem or inclement weather continues longer than two planned collections then all waste presented, within reason, will be taken on the next scheduled collection. 12. Collection Times Properties where household waste and recycling is collected in wheeled bins or boxes/bags must: Present their containers by 7.00 am on the day of collection Containers should be returned by residents to their normal storage point at their household as soon as is practicable. Properties where household waste is collected in sacks must ensure that: the waste is fully contained, sacks are undamaged and are securely closed to prevent spillage
it is presented either at the edge of the property near to the highway or an alternative suitable location it is presented by 7.00 am on the day of collection 13. Mixed Heraditament Properties Mixed hereditament properties are generally business properties with living accommodation attached e.g. a flat above a shop. Waste collections from mixed heraditament properties are treated the same as normal domestic properties i.e. recycling collections one week and non- recycling collections on the same day the following week.