Larger homes will bag an extra allowance when waste collections change in April 2017
Larger households in Bridgend County Borough will be given extra allowances when new rules on the amount of non-recyclable waste that residents can throw out are introduced next year.
From 1 April 2017, most homes in Bridgend County Borough will be restricted to putting out two landfill bags per fortnight but, following public consultation, Cabinet Members from the local authority have agreed that extra dispensation should be given to households with more than six occupants so that the new collection service can help to increase recycling rates while also being as fair as possible.
Properties with six or seven residents will be able to apply for one additional bin bag each fortnight, while homes containing eight or more people will be able to apply for two additional bags per fortnight.
All applicants will need to demonstrate that they are recycling as much as possible, and checks will be carried out to ensure that they are only using the extra bags for non-recyclable waste. Those homes that are given the extra allowances will need to re-apply every 12 months.
It has also been confirmed that an additional bag will also be permitted for homes who need to dispose of ash from coal fires. Details on how to apply for the extra dispensations will be publicised in the New Year.
Recycling collections will continue to be weekly from 1 April 2017, and the changes to waste collections are being introduced to that Bridgend County Borough Council can keep achieving the stringent recycling targets that have been set by Welsh Government.
By 2024/25, Welsh councils will need to recycle 70 per cent of all household waste or face costly fines. The current target is 58 per cent.
Councillor Hywel Williams, the council’s Deputy Leader, said: “Across Wales we are recycling double the amount we recycled a decade ago, but we all need to do even more over this next decade to continue this momentum and achieve the high recycling targets that have been set.
“The Welsh Government’s ‘Towards Zero Waste’ strategy informs us that if everyone in the world lived the way that we currently do in Wales then nearly three planets would be required to provide the necessary resources.
“Reducing that to one planet will be challenging, but the benefits are huge not only for the environment but for the economy too by supporting local green jobs.
“The Welsh Government has raised the bar and we’re accepting the challenge. Recycling is a priority for us and we’re urging all local residents to please support us on this, and understand why the changes are necessary.
Councillor Williams continued: “One of the areas that we’d like residents to really think about is food waste. Independent research found recently that approximately a quarter of the waste put out in landfill bags across Wales is food waste.
“That’s such a shame because all food waste is recyclable, even bones, and pet food too. If you live in Bridgend County Borough, all you need to do to recycle your food waste is use your brown food waste caddies.
“You get a small caddy to keep in your kitchen and then when that’s full up, place the green food bags into the larger caddy which you can store outside ready for the weekly collection.
“Don’t forget too, that food waste includes any out of date leftovers that might be lurking at the back of your fridge. Just remove and recycle the packaging first.”
In Spring 2017, all homes in Bridgend County Borough will be given a roll of specially coloured and branded bags which can be used for non-recyclable waste. The additional bags for households with more than six residents will also have a distinctive colour.
A new separate nappy collection service will also be introduced in April 2017, while Cabinet Members agreed this week to seek an external company to work temporarily with the council’s waste department to help inform local residents about the waste collection changes and also enforce the new restrictions.
However, education will be the priority, as Councillor Williams explained: “We fully appreciate that adjusting to the new two bag limit might be more of a challenge for some homes than others, so we don’t intend to be heavy handed.
“But there is a pressing need to change our habits so that it becomes second nature for all homes to recycle more, and to help with this we’ll have a team out and about talking to residents as much as possible.
“So that the change is seamless, I would encourage residents to start preparing for the new limits on waste by considering how much you are already recycling, and what you could do differently.”
Look out for more details about how recycling and waste collections will be changing in Bridgend County Borough soon.
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