London,
07
October
2013
|
16:52
Europe/London

Streamlined bin collections rolled out across Hackney

Green sack, blue bin, black sackHackney Council is streamlining the way rubbish and recycling is collected for 45,000 households. 

From Monday 4 November, if you live in a home without communal bins you will put your rubbish out for collection on the same day as your recycling, instead of having to put sacks out on two different days of the week.

This more efficient system will reduce the number of bin lorries on the roads, meaning less disturbance and congestion. Using fewer vehicles and crews is also expected to save the council £500,000 this financial year, and £200,000 each year thereafter.

As well as making collections easier, it’s hoped the new approach will increase recycling and reduce the amount of taxpayers’ money currently spent on disposing of household waste in Hackney.

Councillor Feryal Demirci, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods
Collecting rubbish on the same day as recycling should make it easier for our residents. It will also mean fewer noisy bin collections and less congestion on our roads. Three quarters of rubbish is recyclable and hopefully the new streamlined system will encourage people to recycle more. Recycling is not only good for the environment, it also save taxpayers’ money. Every year we spend £5 million on disposal charges for household waste. The more people recycle the more we have to spend on other services such as cleaning streets, filling potholes and maintaining parks.
Councillor Feryal Demirci, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods

Households affected by the change are being sent letters, followed by a reminder postcard towards the end of October. You can check if your are affected and see your collection day by entering their postcode at www.hackney.gov.uk/recycling.

This change is the second phase of a programme to make rubbish and recycling collections easier for Hackney’s residents, and to encourage people to recycle more. The first phase was the replacement of green boxes with green sacks in March 2013. This month also sees food waste collections being made available to an extra 30,000 properties on Hackney Homes estates.

Hackney Council currently spends more than £5 million a year disposing of household waste, with a recycling rate of 25%. It is estimated that a 10% increase in recycling would save about £12 million by 2020.

Residents should start putting their rubbish out on the same day as their recycling from the week beginning 4 November. The council will put on some extra collections during the first few weeks to make sure all rubbish is collected while people get used to their new collection days.

Estates or blocks with shared rubbish and recycling facilities are not affected and will have their bins emptied as normal.