Rubbish and recycling processes are changing from April 2017 – the borough is changing the way your bins are collected.
Sutton Council has produced answers to questions that are likely to be raised:
Why is it changing?
Increasing recycling:
The new service is expected to deliver an increase in recycling to over 40% within 12 months
Wasting less:
40% of the rubbish we currently throw away is food waste – from April 2017 it can instead be turned into energy and compost.
Saving money:
The new service will help us save £10.3 million of taxpayers’ money over the eight year contract period to help us protect other vital services
How is my collection changing?
To increase recycling, reduce waste and save local taxpayers’ money, we are changing the way your bins are collected. The changes depend on whether you live in:
a house and get a kerbside collection
a house and get a bagged collection
a flat
a flat above a shop
Assisted collections
If you currently receive an assisted collection service this will continue. There is no need for you to do anything. If you don’t currently have assisted collections but think you may struggle with the new containers, please call us: contact Sutton Council.
House with a kerbside collection
Food waste will be collected every week – new service with new container
Paper and card will be collected every two weeks
Plastics, glass, cans and cartons will be collected every two weeks – new container
Rubbish will be collected every two weeks
Garden waste will be collected every two weeks (subscription-based service)
When we deliver your new containers, look inside. You will find further information about how to use the new service.
House with a bagged collection
Plastics, glass, cans and cartons will be collected every two weeks – new bags
Paper and card will be collected every two weeks
Rubbish will be collected every two weeks – new bags
We will supply you with all the recycling containers and rubbish bags you need to use the new service. From April 2017, we will only collect rubbish if it is contained in the red bags we provide you with.
When we deliver your new recycling containers and rubbish bags, we will also provide you with further information about how to use the new service.
Flat
Food waste will be collected every week – new service with new container
Paper and card will be collected every week – new container
Plastics, glass, cans and cartons will be collected every week
Rubbish will be collected every week
When we deliver your new food waste kitchen caddy, look inside. You will find further information about how to use the new service. The service for flats will be tailored to individual blocks, to account for differences in amount of available space or to accommodate management agents’ routines.
Flat above a shop
Paper, card, plastics, glass, cans and cartons will be collected every week – new service with new bags
Rubbish will be collected every week – new bags
We will supply you with the bags you need to use the service. We will only collect materials if they are contained in these bags.
When we deliver your new recycling and rubbish bags, we will also provide you with further information about how to use the new service.
When will I receive my new containers?
Your new containers will be delivered between Monday 13 March and Saturday 1 April 2017, along with detailed information about how to use the new service and a collection calendar.
Will my collection day change?
No, your collection day will stay the same. When we deliver your new containers, we will provide you with a collection calendar to tell you when bins should be placed for collection each week. You will also be able to check this on the Sutton Council website from 3 April 2017.
Will collection times change?
Possibly. At the moment we collect your bins up until 8.30pm at night. But in the new service there will be no evening collections. we’ll collect until 4pm during the week and 5pm on Saturdays.
Will my food waste bin be smelly?
No. Food waste will be collected every week, just as it is now. The only difference is that you will be asked to separate food waste out from your general rubbish. You can help prevent smells by lining your caddy with compostable liners (available from most supermarkets) or old newspaper, and by regularly rinsing your food waste containers.
Can I have more recycling containers?
Yes. If you need more space to store your recycling, you can contact us and we will arrange to provide extra recycling containers for you to use. The easiest way to order new containers will be via the Sutton Council website. More information will be provided when your containers are delivered in March 2017. Please wait until you have used the new service before contacting us to request extra bags so you can be sure of your needs.
Will I be able to have a larger rubbish bin?
If you’re recycling everything you can and using your food waste collection service, there should be plenty of space in your rubbish bin. Our standard bin policy is for every household to have one small (140 litre) brown bin to contain their waste. The exceptions to this are:
if you have a household of five or more
if you have medical needs
If you meet the exception you can request a larger rubbish bin.
What if my rubbish won’t fit in my bin?
Excess rubbish that does not fit in your brown wheelie bin (the lid must be closed) will not be collected. Once the new service starts, if you find you are struggling to fit all your rubbish in your brown wheelie bin, it probably means you are not recycling as much as you could. If that’s the case, you will be encouraged to get in touch with us and we’ll send someone out to have a friendly chat about how you might be able to recycle more.
What happens if I don’t use the service correctly?
We understand it may take a few weeks to get used to the new service. From 3 April to 16 April 2017 we will empty your containers even if they contain the wrong materials. From 17 April 2017 our collection teams will attach note to let you know if a bin contains the wrong materials. You’ll then be able to remove anything that shouldn’t have gone in, or contact us if you are unable to do this.
What if I don’t have space for the new containers?
If you live in a property that has been identified as not having enough space for wheelie bins (for example flats above shops), you will continue to receive a weekly collection of sacks. We will not deliver any new containers to you. You will receive separate information about how the new service will impact you in the coming weeks. If you live in a property that currently has wheelie bins, it is likely that you will have space to store the new green recycling box and outdoor food waste container. If you believe that is not the case, you can contact us and we will arrange someone to come out to survey your property and discuss alternative options if necessary.
What measures are in place to ensure services don’t suffer?
As with any major service change, we expect there to be a period of adjustment while our collection crews and residents get used to using the new service. This is expected to last for a maximum of 13 weeks. Beyond this, measures are in place, including financial deductions for Veolia (the company carrying out the collections on our behalf), to ensure that our residents continue to receive a high quality service.
What evidence is there that these changes will deliver results?
The collection service being introduced is already being effectively used in other London boroughs, including our close neighbours Kingston upon Thames. By increasing the amount residents can recycle and changing the frequency of rubbish collections these boroughs have consistently seen increases in recycling rates. There is no reason to believe that the same will not be true for Sutton.
Garden waste
There will also be some changes to our subscription-based garden waste collection service from April 2017. Find out more about the Garden waste collection.
We appreciate that these are significant changes to a service that is used by every resident in the borough. It is essential that people are made aware of the changes and are clear what it is they are being asked to do differently.
We have a comprehensive communications campaign that is being funded by our new contractor, Veolia. It will run from January through to July 2017, with the focus being on the 8 weeks leading up to the introduction of the new service in April 2017.
Every household in the borough will receive three pieces of information:
the first will be a four-page summary leaflet providing key information and advance notification that a change is on its way. This will be delivered in February (several weeks before the new containers arrive)
the second will be a more detailed eight-page booklet providing information on the new service, as well as a collection calendar. This will be delivered with the new containers in March
the third will be a six-page leaflet dedicated to explaining the new food waste collection service. This will also be delivered with the new containers in March.
The information being sent direct to households will be supported by a comprehensive awareness campaign using a wide range of communications channels including:
face-to-face – Local Committee meetings and roadshows around the borough
digital – Sutton Scene e-newsletter, Sutton Council website and animated video explaining the new service
social – Facebook advertising campaign
outdoor – phone box adverts across the borough
targeted TV advertising – for the first time we will be using a new and innovative ‘AdSmart’ service to deliver cost-effective, high-impact TV advertising to households in the Sutton borough boundaries.
