Recycle More
Recycle More has come to South Somerset which will expand recycling collections across the district at your doorstep.
See www.somersetwaste.gov.uk/recycle-more for full details on the scheme.
What is Recycle More?
Most people in Somerset are recycling and Recycle More makes it easier for everyone to do even more, helping protect the environment, tackle climate change and save taxpayers’ money.
The new service adds the following items to weekly recycling collections:
- Plastic pots, tubs and trays
- Food and drink cartons
- Small batteries
- Small electrical items
Watch the video below for an introduction to Recycle More.
How does Recycle More work?
Every home will have a new recycling container – a ‘Bright Blue Bag’
Deliveries are still being made for Blue bags right up until next Tuesday 29 June. If you have not had your blue bag yet, please check first if your street has been delivered, do your immediate neighbours have blue bags yet? If they have had their blue bags and you have been missed, you can request a blue bag here
People will need to put different things into different containers, with the bag used for plastic pots, tubs, and trays; and metal items like tins, cans, tin foil and empty aerosols.
Extra weekly recycling means far less rubbish, so rubbish bins or black sacks will be collected every three weeks instead of every two. Collection days will change for around a third of residents.
Garden and clinical waste pick-ups will not change with Recycle More.
Watch this video which explains how Recycle More works in practice.
You can now use the live chatbox facility on the Somerset Waste Partnership website to ask any questions you might have. Visit their website and scroll to the bottom of the page where you will find 'Ask a question'. Select this option and this will bring up the chatbox feature.
More details about Recycle More can be found on the Somerset Waste Partnership website. For information about how to reduce and reuse your waste, visit somersetwaste and follow @somersetwaste on Twitter and Facebook.
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Why Recycle More?
Most people in Somerset recycle. The new service makes it easier for everyone to recycle even more, reducing waste, protecting the environment and helping tackle climate change.
Somerset has a really good recycling record, but we can do better. Half the average Somerset rubbish bin could have been recycled. More recycling is cheaper, too. The new service will cost around £2m less each year.
Find out more information about the scheme at www.somersetwaste.gov.uk/recycle-more.
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How can I prepare for Recycle More?
It's important that every household has the containers they need ready for the start of Recycle More, so you can start to prepare now by making sure you have the containers you need to make full use of weekly recycling collections.
Everyone can have a green and a black recycling box, plus a food waste bin. New or replacement containers can be ordered free of charge through our website. Your ‘Bright Blue Bag’ will be delivered automatically to you a week or two weeks before the service starts. You do not need to request this.
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Is it true we will get three-weekly wheeled bin collections?
Yes. Three-weekly collections have been working well in Mendip since October 2020 and millions of people across the UK already have three-weekly rubbish collections, including our near-neighbours in east Devon.
Recycle More’s extra recycling leaves less to throw away and emptier rubbish bins, so everyone needs to make full use of weekly recycling. Make sure you have all the recycling containers you need and give the new service a go. In trials and elsewhere, people with initial concerns usually found that the service worked well.
Find out more information about the scheme at www.somersetwaste.gov.uk/recycle-more.
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I'm struggling with space in my bin. How can I request extra space?
Recycle More will reduce the amount that you will be putting in your wheeled bin with the introduction of more being able to be recycled at kerbside.
Extra space will only be provided if it is essential. If you think three-weekly rubbish collections will be a problem because you have a large family, children in nappies or a medical need, make sure you get in touch in Somerset Waste Partnership. Your circumstances will be assessed and you can arrange a call or visit from a Waste Management Officer to talk things through and help.
Find out more information about the scheme at www.somersetwaste.gov.uk/recycle-more.
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What is changing for people with communal recycling collections?
Properties like flats, houses of multiple occupancy and retirement villages will have improved collections at the same time as individual households. What is possible will depend on the space and access at each site. Where possible, we will offer people the full Recycle More kerbside collections. Where that is not possible, we will expand the communal collections to include cardboard and plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays.
Everyone will be written to twice before anything changes.
Find out more information about the scheme at www.somersetwaste.gov.uk/recycle-more.
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How do I get more information about Recycle More?
More details about Recycle More can be found on the Somerset Waste Partnership website. For information about how to reduce and reuse your waste, visit www.somersetwaste.gov.uk and follow @somersetwaste on Twitter and Facebook.
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Recycle More – the story so far across Somerset
The new service has gone really well since it was launched in October 2020 as Mendip residents gave it their backing.
Somerset is far from being the first to make this change. Extra recycling and three-weekly rubbish collections are already running for millions of people up and down the country, including our neighbours in East Devon. More are planning to make the change.
Find out more information about the scheme at www.somersetwaste.gov.uk/recycle-more.
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Promoting Recycle More
You can actively promote Recycle More coming to South Somerset by downloading the Recycle More in South Somerset poster and displaying it.
You can also link to our two YouTube videos displayed above: