Sutton Council Say Goodbye to Wheelie Bins

Sutton Says Goodbye to Wheelie Bins

The London Borough of Sutton is saying goodbye to wheelie bins, as the council has voted to begin working with the recycling company Veolia, to introduce a new recycling scheme. All councils in south west London voted to give Veolia responsibility for collecting waste. Veolia are a successful private waste management, urban cleaning and grounds maintenance company, and the council are keen to see if working with them will improve recycling rates.

Why is the new scheme being introduced?

The council is hoping to increase recycling to over 40% in the next 12 months, to reduce waste by turning it into energy and compost, and to save money on waste disposal costs. The council estimates that it can save almost £11 million of taxpayer’s money over the term of the 8-year contract with Veolia.

What will change?

The green and brown household wheelie bins will be replaced by a new food waste container, which will be collected each week by Veolia. All other waste will be collected every 2 weeks. Paper and card must be separated from plastic, glass, cans, and general waste. Garden waste will be collected every 2 weeks, and there will be a charge for this. Textiles will need to be placed in an open carrier bag next to the recycling box, and batteries will be collected if placed in a clear bag or a securely tied carrier bag. The new recycling boxes will contain information about what can and can’t be put in them.

Resident’s concerns

Thousands of residents signed a petition against fortnightly waste collections, as they believe that they have too much waste to throw away, and it’s not practical. They are concerned about waste becoming smelly and being a health hazard if it’s left for too long between collections.

The council hope to allay concerns with guidance on how people can reduce the waste they throw away, and how they can start their own compost pile to cut down on food waste.