Service FAQs
FAQs on our collection service
- How did you come up with the proposal for three-weekly collections?
We need to save money in the current landscape of rising costs and find savings to mitigate against increasing council tax.
Local councillors from all political parties from North Herts and East Herts Councils were involved in a series of workshops to help shape the proposals. We also used the results of a recent public consultation about residents’ recycling habits which found:
Nearly half (49%) of respondents’ purple bins (for general waste) are either half-full or quarter-full when it’s time to be collected – 18 people told us their bin was empty.
84% of respondents agreed the council should do more to make people recycle more and reduce waste and 74% of residents agreed the council should invest in or change services to reduce its carbon footprint.
76% of respondents said ‘I care about the environment and climate change and do my bit’.
- Are you the only council to consider three-weekly collections?
No, an increasing number of councils in England, Scotland and Wales already have three-weekly collections for general waste, with some in Wales and Scotland having monthly collections. Brighton Council are currently considering monthly collections.
- Did you consult on these changes to the bin collection service?
We ran a consultation for residents in summer 2022 (22 July to 22 August), which was communicated on a regular basis during that time through North and East Herts e-newsletters, websites, across social media channels and in a press-release sent to all local press.
For East Herts, the results on the consultation were published on our website ahead of the Overview and Scrutiny meeting on Tuesday 20 September 2022. They were also included in the minutes of the same meeting. They were further published as part of papers for East Herts Council’s Executive meeting in October 2022. Further updates were made in December 2023, with a confirmation of the waste service decisions in July 2024.
FAQs on Waste Management
- What should I do with my excess waste?
To make the most of the service, please ensure you are recycling as much as possible by checking the ‘What goes in my bins’ page, and maximise the space in your bins with the advice on our ‘Recycling tips’ page.
You may be eligible for extra capacity if you have:
- a larger household with 6+ permanent residents
- two or more children under 36 months
- adults using incontinence items/with medical needs
Alternatively, any excess non-recyclable waste will have to be taken to your local Household Waste and Recycling Centre.
- What can I do with my pet waste to reduce the smell?
If dog waste is collected while you are out walking your dog, dispose of it by tying it in a plastic bag and putting it in a dog waste bin or public litter bin. When you collect pet waste at home, it should be put into your purple-lidded, non-recyclable waste bin.
We recommend that you double bag solid dog and cat waste to avoid spillage and reduce odours. Consider putting a protective sheet at the very bottom of the bin, if the poo bag is likely to end up crushed at the bottom of the waste, in case of bag splits.
For cat litter, once the solid waste is removed and double bagged, place the litter in a bin liner. Try to use minimal amounts of litter and only clear out what you need.
Where possible, it is best to store your purple-lidded non-recyclable waste bin out of the sun, to reduce exposure to heat and therefore smells. If you do not have the room to do this, consider using a lined nappy bin, ‘hygiene caddy’ or other slim bin outside for your solid pet waste, in an area sheltered from the sun, and transfer the contents of this bin into your purple-lidded non-recyclable waste bin on the day the non-recyclable waste is collected.
- What can I do to reduce waste that I have?
Reducing waste is linked to what you buy and the packaging that items are contained in. To truly reduce waste; then buying only necessary items and items with less packaging or more recyclable packaging is part of our challenge of reducing waste. For the waste that you do produce check out our recycling A-Z on our website to ensure you are recycling all you can.
To create more space:- Wash and squash plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, cartons and tins.
- Stack similar shape products into each other where possible (e.g. yoghurt pots, takeaway dishes, cat food trays etc.).
- Flatten cardboard boxes.
Food – try to plan your meals around what needs using up and don’t forget to freeze leftovers. Check out Love Food, Hate Waste for more ideas.
Textiles – any unwanted clothes, shoes, towels, bedsheets etc – even damaged – can be taken to your local charity shop or clothes bank. Please keep damaged items separate and label as ‘rags’. Check with your local shop if they are happy to take rags, some animal shelters will also take old bedding.
Plastic bags and wrapping - you can place these loose into your black-lidded mixed recycling bin (please check that they do not have food residue on them).
Household Waste and Recycling Centres – check what you can recycle at your local Herts recycling centre such as coat hangers and old plastic garden furniture.
You could also check out:- I don't qualify for additional space, but am worried about nappies
Several councils already provide this service, and residents have successfully adapted to the change. To minimise smells, residents are encouraged to bag nappy waste before placing it in the wheeled bin and to clean the bin regularly. Alternatively, they may consider using reusable nappies. For more information, visit the Herts Reusable Nappies page on the Hertfordshire County Council website.
FAQs on bin capacity
- What special consideration are given to those that need assistance with bin collections, and larger households that need a larger waste bin?
People currently requiring assistance with bin collections are known to us and will continue to be supported, but more people may require assistance with the new service. Those requiring assistance with bin collections should contact East Herts Council assisted bin service.
The following households are eligible to apply for extra capacity:- Larger households with 6+ permanent residents.
- Homes with 2+ children under 36 months.
- Adults using incontinence items/with medical needs.
- Why do we need a large cardboard and paper bin?
The increase in home shopping has led households to receive a great deal of cardboard packaging with their purchases. The bigger bin provides the space needed to recycle that.
Manufacturers and retailers are also increasing the amount of paper and cardboard packaging that they produce to meet government requirements for more recyclable packaging. This means there is more recyclable cardboard and paper waste passed on to households to dispose of.
And by taking cardboard out of your mixed recycling bin and into your cardboard and paper bin, it will create more room in your mixed recycling bin to allow for the three-weekly collections.