Temporary policy of allowing additional rubbish to be collected set to end
Published: 28 May 2020
The Council is set to end its temporary policy of allowing residents to leave one additional bag of rubbish beside their black bin.
In March, in light of the government’s ‘stay at home’ instructions and the closure of Exeter’s recycling centres, the Council temporarily relaxed its ban on side-waste.
This arrangement is now set to end. From Monday, 8 June the Council’s collection crews will only be collecting rubbish contained in the black bin.
Residents will still be able to place out extra recycling beside their green bin in bags labelled ‘recycling’, as per the Council’s standard policy.
The decision to bring this temporary arrangement for rubbish collection to an end takes into account the following:
- The increase in refuse collected has levelled off: in April 2020 the weight of refuse collected was up only 6% from the previous April, and some of that can be explained by the number of new houses that have been built in the last year.
- Exeter’s Recycling Centres are now open, so residents can dispose of bulkier items more appropriately.
- Reverting to a ‘no side waste’ policy reduces our crews’ contact with plastic sacks, which are easily split open. Having all waste contained in the bin limits the potential for our crews to come into contact with infected waste.
- With fewer people spending all day at home, waste produced at home should be less than before.
The Council’s standard policy of not allowing extra waste to be presented beside the black bin is necessary to encourage waste reduction and promote recycling.
It is also essential in reducing public expenditure on rubbish disposal, with each tonne of rubbish burned at the Waste to Energy plant costing over £100 per tonne.
Remember, if you have confirmed or suspected Covid-19, government guidance for personal waste is as follows:
- Personal waste (such as used tissues) and disposable cleaning cloths can be stored securely within disposable rubbish bags. These bags should be placed into another bag, tied securely and kept separate from other waste. This should be put aside for at least 72 hours before being put in your usual external household waste bin.
You can find more information and guidance on our web page