One of the key changes is the increase in the range of materials that can be recycled from home. This includes the introduction of weekly food waste collections for East Herts, increased capacity for cardboard and paper recycling, and the addition of plastic bags and wrapping recycling for both councils.
Non-recyclable waste, mixed recycling, cardboard and paper will be collected on an alternating three-weekly cycle, while food waste collections will take place weekly, and garden waste collections will continue to be fortnightly for those who subscribe. Some residents’ bin collection days will change, and more information will be provided before the new service begins. Some flats and properties with communal waste bins will have collection day changes but will still follow a similar schedule to current arrangements.
Bin sizes, colours, and capacities will be aligned across both districts. As part of the preparations, new bins will be delivered to households across both districts, beginning in early May.
East Herts residents will receive a 180-litre purple-lidded bin for non-recyclable waste, a 23-litre outdoor food waste caddy, and a 5-litre kitchen caddy. The new system will also involve repurposing some of the existing bins; the purple-lidded bin will become the non-recyclable waste bin, while the black-lidded bin will be used for mixed recycling (including plastic bags and wrapping), and the blue-lidded bin for cardboard and paper. Residents will be asked to swap the use of their bins after the last collection of a bin under the old system, ready for the new collection cycles beginning on 4 August.
North Herts residents will receive a 240-litre blue-lidded bin specifically for cardboard and paper, replacing the lidless blue box. These bins will be delivered with instructions not to use them until the service starts after 4 August.
This change is part of a wider effort to reduce waste that isn’t recycled, make recycling easier for residents, and meet government recycling targets. The new service will also help ensure compliance with the Government’s ‘Simpler Recycling’ requirements, which call for the separate collection and recycling of food waste and cardboard and paper, as well as the recycling of soft plastics.
The decision to move to a three-week collection cycle and align services between East and North Herts follows the public consultation conducted in Summer 2022. This change also takes advantage of the experience that new waste and recycling collections partner Veolia will bring, along with an expanded fleet of vehicles for a more efficient service from May onwards.
Councillor Tim Hoskin, Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability at East Herts Council, said: “This is a big and exciting change that will impact us all. I am really looking forward to the introduction of food waste recycling in East Herts and the positive effect this will have. The new service supports residents who want to recycle more as sadly, across the district, we currently throw away more than we recycle. This change will give us all the opportunity to reduce the waste not being recycled. It will also give food waste a second life - going on to generate electricity and provide fertiliser for crops, helping us all do more for the environment.”
Cllr Amy Allen, Executive Member for Waste at North Herts Council, said: “We are keen to have sustainability at the heart of everything we do, and the new service supports our residents to recycle more. We hope more residents will take advantage of the weekly food waste collection and once in the swing of things, households will soon reap the benefits of an easy and efficient service, which will increase their recycling and reduce the amount of waste which isn’t recycled.
“Knebworth, Sawbridgeworth and Royston were trailblazers trialling plastic bags and wrapping collections. Soon thousands more residents will be able to recycle their plastic bags and wrapping too. The new cardboard and paper bins will help free capacity in residents’ mixed recycling bins and keep cardboard and paper clean and dry for a higher quality product to be made from what we collect.”
Residents who produce more non-recyclable waste – such as those living in larger households, those with multiple children in nappies, or people with special medical needs – will be contacted separately, about how we are supporting their needs, prior to the bin deliveries in May.
To keep residents informed, a leaflet outlining the changes is being sent with council tax letters in the next few weeks.
For more information and frequently asked questions, please go to: www.eastherts.gov.uk/binchanges or www.north-herts.gov.uk/binchanges
