Waste collection (and related) policies 2023

• landfill/black

• we do not provide or sell landfill bins to households. Householders should source and purchase their own landfill bin from the private sector. We do not recommend suppliers of landfill bins but will advise about the types of premises that they may be purchased from when requested
• we do not provide landfill bins to commercial premises. Commercial premises should source and purchase 
• their own landfill bin from the private sector. We do not recommend suppliers of landfill bins but will 
• advise about the types of premises that they may be purchased from when requested
• We will repair/replace bins damaged by us during the collection process at no cost to the householder within a 5-year warranty period from the date of bin manufacture. Thereafter resident will be responsible for bin replacement as damage will be deemed normal ‘wear and tear’
• We will replace bins that fall into the refuse collection vehicle free of charge
• in circumstances where wheeled bins are damaged or stolen as a result of street protests, the householder is 
• responsible for bin repair or replacement

• green/blue (dry recycling)
• brown (organics)
• kitchen caddy
• wheelie box
• kerbie box
• home composters

All types of recycling bins, wheelie/kerbie boxes and kitchen caddies are provided free of charge by us.

There is a charge for additional brown bins applicable as per policy

A purchase fee is charged per home composter (costs agreed annually us)

• landfill/black 

We operate a single landfill bin policy, with a second/larger landfill bin being provided in the following circumstances only where there:

• are 6 or more permanent residents
• is a medical condition that causes additional waste to be generated
• are families with young children in nappies.

Residents need to make an application through the appropriate form. If the application is approved additional waste collection capacity will be supplied free of charge by us.

The need for an additional collection capacity will be kept under review.

The standard landfill bin size will be 240 litre capacity. (180 litres being trialled in specified areas)

• green 240 litre (dry recycling)

• up to 2 free of charge

• brown 240 litre (organics)

• kitchen caddy (7l)

• wheelie box (150l)

• food Waste bin (23l)

• kerbie box (55l)

• home composters

Additional brown bins shall only be provided where:

• there is capacity on the existing bin collection round for that property, without the requirement to make any significant alterations for the collection schedule
• a fee per additional bin is paid for this service annually in advance. This fee is reviewable annually. No concessions will be made regarding the level of payment required
• the householder purchases any additional brown bins required, from the Council, at a cost per bin. This fee is reviewable annually
• no refunds will be granted to collections cancelled mid-year and the service will be non-transferrable between domestic properties

Applications for additional brown bins will be assessed as detailed below:

1. All requests must be submitted in writing, using a designated application form.
2. All application forms will be processed in order of receipt.
3. On receipt of an application the relevant collection round for that property will be identified and assessed regarding available spare capacity by our Operational Services Unit.
4. Where a request for an additional brown bin/s can be accommodated the householder will be notified and will be required to pay the annual service fee charge and a one off payment for provision/delivery of the bins/s.
5. Where an application is unsuccessful due to lack of spare capacity on the collection round in question, the applicant will be advised of this and the application held on file and considered in order of receipt/demand for additional service provision if circumstances change.
6. All applications will be assessed on a first come, first served basis with no guarantee given as to the success of any particular application. Our decision is final and no appeals will be considered.
7. We reserve the right to withdraw the additional brown bin collection service at any time with due notification given to householders in such circumstances.
8. Failure to pay the annual fee will result in the additional collection service being removed.
9. Refunds will not be issued for missed bins or bins rejected due to contamination. If a missed collection is due to error by us then we will return to collect the bin as soon as possible.

Successful applicants will be provided with an ‘approved additional brown bin’ sticker which must be affixed to the bin. 

Bins must be presented at kerbside on the normal brown bin collection day. Only additional brown bins displaying the proper sticker will be collected.

Applicants receive an annual letter to request payment of the service fee, once payment has been received a new sticker is supplied to be affixed to the bin and the collection service continues.

We provide an assisted lift collection service conditional to the householder completing an application form accompanied with a supporting letter from their doctor or medical/care professional confirming that they are medically unfit to present their bin at the nominated collection point.

Provision of the service is subject to there being no permanent resident of the household who is capable of presenting the bin at kerbside for collection.

If approval is granted, our Operational Services Unit may need to carry out a risk assessment at the household to ensure the service can be safely provided. The provision of the backdoor collection to be kept under review.

• leave the appropriate bin or box out by 6:00am on the day of collection
• lids must be closed shut
• bin handles should be turned out towards the roadside
• containers must be in good working order including wheels, axles, lids, handles, etc.
• no side waste will be collected
• the use of wheelie bin ‘liners’ in recycling bins is prohibited
• the use of wheelie bin ‘liners’ within landfill bins is conditional to the householder ensuring that the liner is tied closed and contained within the bin, with the lid closed, prior to collection

We have a zero tolerance policy for incorrect materials placed in bins presented for collection at kerbside. This policy is applied to landfill, mixed dry and organic bins, wheelie boxes and food waste bins.

The overall aim of the policy is to reduce contamination levels and maximize recycling and composting rates. Householders will be supported in complying with the policy through availability of a comprehensive range of communication materials detailing what items should be placed in which bin.

The zero tolerance policy will be applied to all households excluding exceptional circumstances where there are genuine reasons why the policy cannot be complied with (e.g. resident with dementia).

We reserve the right to consider individual cases of non-compliance on the basis of their individual merit. This may include needs such as medical, special assistance or other conditions. These will be evaluated on an individual case by case basis by the Waste Management Team and appropriate mitigation measures put in place.

Contamination Enforcement Protocol 
 

Cleansing Operatives will lift the lid of bins presented for collection at kerbside and conduct a visual inspection of the contents for any unsuitable materials that should be in an alternative bin e.g. food waste in landfill bins, glass in mixed dry recycling bins, non-organics in brown bins.

Bins containing unsuitable materials will receive a non-collection/zero tolerance sticker. This sticker will provide contact details for the householder to use to contact the Council for further advice and information but will clearly state that in order for the bin to be emptied they will be required to remove the unsuitable materials and present the bin for collection on the next scheduled collection day.

Collection crews will keep a record of all non-collection/zero tolerance stickers issued and what unsuitable item/s were found in the bin in order to allow Waste Management to feed this information back to householders who contact them for advice.

While bins found to contain unsuitable materials will not be emptied, if a householder contacts the Waste Management Team as a result of their bin not being emptied, staff will work with them to ensure future compliance with our requirements. In cases where genuine mistakes have been made and where the householder cannot wait until their next scheduled collection day, a one off ‘mop up’ collection service will be offered. Generally only one ‘mop up’ in a rolling 12 month period will be provided to any one household.

Householders unable to operate kerbside recycling services due to a medical condition 

We will supply compostable liners for the collection of food waste from households, free-of-charge utilising our premises as distribution points and the brown bin tag system for kerbside collections. Householders can also tie a caddy liner to their food collection bin to request additional liners.

Commercial users, including school kitchens will also be provided with liners free of charge based on the standard liner provided to households.

A free of charge service will apply to household amenity collections as follows:

• up to three items will be removed per collection.
• a maximum of three free of charge collections will be provided per household per year
• additional collections will incur a charge, as agreed by Council, for up to 3 items to be applied to all households
• items that will be collected free of charge will include free standing furniture, mattresses, carpets, electrical appliances and white goods. A full list of accepted materials is provided by contacting us
• due to H&S risks items containing glass (e.g. glass table tops, doors, mirrors or older style TV’s with glass screens and cathode ray tubes) will not be collected
• items must be dry, householders to be advised of this at time of booking (wet mattresses, carpets etc. cannot be lifted due to manual handling issues)
• oversized or overweight items which would require specialist lifting equipment or could cause manual handling issues for collection crews will not be collected
• specific items that will not be collected by the bulky collection service will include bagged household general waste, builders rubble, plasterboard, bricks or soil, tyres and car parts, batteries or fluorescent tubes, older style TV’s with glass screens and cathode ray tubes, paints, chemicals and oils, oil tanks, garden waste, garden sheds or garden furniture
• we will not collect waste which is a result of home improvement work, such as bathroom suites, kitchen units, radiators, doors or fireplaces. Householders should arrange with their building contractor to remove these items or alternatively organise removal by an authorised waste collection company or hire a skip

A commercial general waste collection service will be provided as per fees set annually by us.

We do not provide landfill bins to commercial premises. Commercial premises to source and purchase their own landfill bin from the private sector.

Businesses wishing to avail of our comingled organics collection will be able to do so based on the current fortnightly collection cycle in place for households with bins to be paid for by the customer and the price for service to be in line with current commercial charges for a landfill bin of an equivalent size.

Households from which a business is also operational (e.g. childminders, hairdressers) will be entitled to the standard household collection service. Requests for additional bins will be considered commercial and charged at the appropriate rate.

Contract renewal processes and billing commences in February for a full years' collection, payable in advance of the incoming financial year.

A collection and disposal charge is levied for the collection of a schools landfill waste.

A collection only charge is levied for a charity’s landfill waste.

Churches and church halls receive free of charge collections for landfill waste.

In circumstances where we produce a Waste Transfer Note on behalf of a waste producer (e.g. a contractor bringing household waste to Council Household Recycling Centre), we reserve the right to levy an administration charge for this service.

Delegated authority has been granted to the relevant Head of Service to approve customer billing on either a quarterly or six monthly basis, in advance, in cases where customers are unable to commit and pay for a full years’ service.

New in-year commercial waste customers are required to pay for two months’ collections in advance of service being provided.

Special collection requests from commercial entities will be charged at the agreed rates.

Static caravans and mobile homes used for permanent residency will be treated in accordance with all of the waste policies applicable to residential dwellings. 

We will provide the same waste collection service to mobile homes and static caravans as other households on that collection route.  They will be provided with the same bins as households and additional bins will be granted in accordance with the ‘requests for additional bins’ policy. 

Our Operational Services Unit may need to carry out a risk assessment to ensure that the waste collection service can be safely provided.