WAVERLEY BOROUGH COUNCIL ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT WASTE AND RECYCLING Requirements for Refuse and Recycling Provision on New Developments Guidance Notes for Applicants and Agents 1. Waste policy regarding new housing developments In order to meet the Government s statutory recycling and landfill targets set for Waverley Borough Council under the National Waste Strategy 2007, the following requirements relating to waste and recycling arrangements for all new housing developments apply with the emphasis on waste minimisation and recycling. These notes are for guidance only and each individual scheme will need to be submitted for approval by the Council. 2. Waverley Borough Council refuse and recycling service Waverley Borough Council provides an alternate weekly collection of refuse and recycling. One week recycling is collected and on the alternate week refuse for landfill is collected. Food waste is collected weekly on the same occasion as refuse or recycling. An optional fortnightly garden waste collection service is available on payment of a subscription. 3. Individual properties Residents are required to present their refuse in a 140 litre black bin for landfill waste. They are also provided with a 240 litre blue bin for cans, glass, plastic bottles, mixed plastic, mixed paper, cardboard, foil and Tetra Pak cartons. To facilitate the storage and collection of food waste, a 23 litre kerbside bin and a 7 litre kitchen caddy are provided. If the garden waste collection service is subscribed to, then a 240 litre brown lidded bin will be provided. 3.1 Bin provision All new individual properties will need to accommodate a minimum of 1 x 240 litre wheeled bin (2 if the property has a garden) and 1 x 140 litre wheeled bin. For all dwellings, the recycling and food waste bins will be provided free of charge by Waverley Borough Council. The refuse bins will be provided by the developer or the landlord/resident at their expense and must comply with the appropriate European Standards (EN 840, parts 1 to 6). Garden waste bins are provided by Waverley Borough Council when a resident subscribes to the service.
3.2 Internal temporary storage Internal storage capacity is required within properties to accommodate small amounts of materials as they accumulate during the day. Most occupants are likely to require such facilities to minimise the need to make repeated trips to longer term storage facilities (likely to be located outside of the property). Integrating these from the outset into the design of cabinets and fittings in the kitchen and other appropriate areas can make more efficient use of space and is likely to prove less obtrusive than leaving householders to acquire free standing bins at a later date. Consideration should also be given to the internal storage of recyclables. This could be a bin which is separated into compartments or another means of separation from refuse for landfill. To facilitate the temporary storage of food waste, a 7 litre kitchen caddy will be provided. The contents are then transferred into the green kerbside caddy. 3.3 Bin storage and presentation on collection day Refuse and recycling bins should be stored on the property so that bins are not seen from the front of the street. This could mean simply ensuring there is space for bins to be stored in rear gardens or backyards (subject to practicable external access) and only taken out when necessary on bin collection day. Covert storage in the form of integral bin cupboards or incorporating into the design of porches should be considered for residents bins. Consideration should also be given to the storage location, in order to avoid the intrusion of odours and other unwanted issues into adjacent properties. For a small group of dwellings, or a terrace, consideration could be given to incorporating a communal waste facility within the development. This would address any problem in respect of visibility of bins from the street. There are purpose-made cabinets and enclosures to enable the covert storage of refuse and recycling containers. An example is shown below: The Hidbin!
3.4 Unadopted roads/drives All residents must bring their bins to the kerbside of the nearest adopted highway for collection. Consideration needs to be given to the maximum distances bins can be moved by both residents and the collection crews. These are stated below: NB: Residents need to be made fully aware when they purchase their property that they are expected to bring their bins to the kerbside of the nearest adopted highway for collection. NB: The distance that residents can take their bins for kerbside collection must not exceed 30 metres and the distance that waste collection crews can walk to collect bins for emptying must not exceed 25 metres. 4. Access for refuse and recycling collection vehicles (RCVs) It is essential that developers take RCV access into account when designing the roads serving the development, especially in terms of pinch points and turning circles. Minimum turning head dimensions for an RCV are available on request. For vehicle dimensions, see Appendix (ii). 5. Flats and communal properties Flats and apartments will incorporate a communal bin shed or bin storage area. These are not the responsibility of Waverley Borough Council but must comply with the following: Bin stores must be easily accessible from the public highway. Consideration should be given to the storage location in order to avoid the intrusion of odours, noise and other unwanted issues into adjacent properties. The distance that residents must travel to use the store must not exceed 30 metres, excluding vertical distance. The distance that refuse crews must travel to collect from the store must not exceed 25 metres. 5.1 Bin store access Access routes from bin stores to collection points must be a solid, smooth, level, non-slip surface. There must be no steps or kerbs between the bin store and the highway. It is not acceptable to require full bins to be manoeuvred over gravel or on any gradient. The width of the access route from the bin store to the adopted highway should comfortably accommodate the bins provided. The road surface should be of suitable quality for access by a refuse freighter. Entrance to the bin store must be wide enough to comfortably allow bins to be removed for emptying and replaced, and the bin area should be large enough to manoeuvre bins with free space around the bins. See Appendix (i) for bin dimensions. Doors/gates must be provided to prevent litter from escaping from the bin store area. They must not be fitted with self-closers and must be able to be secured in the open position.
All communal bin areas must be provided with adequate lighting with secure cables. To prevent unauthorised use, the bin storage areas for flats are advised to have a lock with access for residents of flats only. 5.2 Fire precautions New flats and communal developments should have a communal refuse and recycling store sited remotely from the main building. Where this is not possible, the use of sprinklers/alarm systems together with fire resistant construction should be adopted. 5.3 Bin provision: Small developments (up to 10 dwellings) There must be provision made for shared 240 litre recycling wheeled bins to store mixed recyclables within the communal bin area together with a 140 litre communal food waste bin or individual 23 litre kerbside caddies. The total volume of recycling storage must be at least equivalent to the refuse total. For small developments of flats, individual refuse bins for each property will be acceptable and these can be kept in bin storage areas. However, in the interest of space saving, communal shared refuse bins should be the first consideration. 5.4 Bin provision: Large developments (over 10 dwellings) There must be provision made for shared 240 litre recycling wheeled bins to collect mixed recyclables within the communal bin area. For food waste, a 140 litre or 240 litre communal food waste bin is preferable, but individual 23 litre kerbside caddies are acceptable. For this size of development larger communal refuse bins are usually preferable. The dimensions of bins are shown in Appendix (i). NB: The waste contractor requires 4 weeks notice to provide new communal bins for completed properties. 5.5 Number of refuse/recycling bins required Where communal bins are provided in flats, it is acceptable to calculate the amount of refuse generated through the following guidelines: For single bedroom flats and apartments, allow 100 litres of refuse for each fortnightly period. For each additional bedroom a further 70 litres should be allowed, up to a maximum of 240 litres. The total volume of recycling storage must be at least equivalent to the refuse total. 5.6 Mixed commercial and residential use Mixed commercial and residential premises must have separate lockable bin stores.
Appendix (i)
Appendix (ii) Collection vehicle dimensions: waste / recycling collection vehicle (Three Axle 26.00 tonnes gross vehicle weight) Dimensions and weight Width (W1) 2.65 metres Overall length 11 metres Height, incl. high level exhaust (H1) 3.6 metres Swept Circle (diameter) 23 metres Note: Any part of a building through which a waste collection vehicle passes must have a minimum clear height of 4.5 metres, to allow for overhead fixtures and fittings. Appendix (iii) Contact Details Waverley Borough Council Environmental Services Department 01483 523524 Email: waste@waverley.gov.uk. Waverley Borough Council Planning Enquiries Tel: 01483 523583 Fax: 01483 523191 Email: planningenquiries@waverley.gov.uk
Appendix (iv) References Building Regulations H4 http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/br_pdf_ad_h_20 10.pdf Code for Sustainable Homes http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/code_for_sustainable_ homes_techguide.pdf ADEPT Making Space for Waste http://www.lgcplus.com/journals/3/files/2010/7/14/adeptmakin gspaceforwaste_000.pdf Eric Pickles Government Press Release https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-action-totake-on-town-hall-bin-blight