Alternate Weekly Collection of Rubbish and Recycling
Havant Borough Council has operated an 'alternate weekly
collection' (AWC) system for several years - this is where
one week your rubbish is collected and the following week your
recycling.
Why did we change to Alternate Weekly Collections
(AWC's)?
Health and safety of employees
Under the Health and Safety Regulations the previous method of
manual handling refuse sacks, was considered to place our
refuse operatives at high risk of injury. We needed to
prevent: stab injuries from glass, syringes, along
with long term back and limb injuries through excessive
lifting. It was therefore decided that our refuse
operatives would be supplied with a wheeled bin, to help
prevent injury through manual handling of sacks.
To reduce the amount of waste Havant Borough Council (HBC)
collected, and sent to Energy Recovery or landfill,
enabling us to meet the statutory government recycling target,
we needed to help residents take more responsibility for the way
they manage their waste.
We believed that by limiting the amount collected from each
household, and reducing the frequency of collection - residents
would: -
- Recycle more or start recycling, as well as make more use of
bring sites (e.g. bottle banks, clothes banks etc and Household
Waste Recycling Centres). An Alternate Weekly Collection service
ensures residents realise that we are serious about tackling a big
national and global problem that is not going to disappear.
- Will be more responsible when purchasing items in the shops -
waste minimisation is the key to waste reduction but a difficult
one to tackle, which in turn put's pressure on retailers and the
packaging industry.
- Dispose of garden waste by the correct means, to prevent it
going to energy recovery/landfill (e.g. composting at the
Household Waste Recycling Centre's or using the Council's Garden
Waste Collection Service).
To deliver a value for money
service and keep disposal waste costs to a minimum so that
Havant Borough residents did not see significant increases in their
Council Tax bills.
The cost of waste disposal is currently met by the County
Council and forms a part of the overall Council Tax. The
rising cost of landfill could see increases in the overall
Council Tax bill to meet any shortfall.
Our previous waste collection service was considered expensive
and wasn't providing value for money for our residents. This reason
together with health and safety considerations has led most
Council's to adopt a wheeled bin collection service.
To help
maintain a cleaner, safer Borough, if waste and
recycling is containerised we eliminate the incidence
of:
- animals breaking open bags.
- sacks breaking open whilst out for collection, leaving
behind debris and mess on our streets.
- possible injury to residents through incorrect disposal of
rubbish e.g broken glass, syringes etc.
Frequently Asked Questions (Rubbish and Recycling):
Contact:
Customer Services
Telephone: 023 9244 6010
E-mail: customer.services@havant.gov.uk
What size is the wheeled bin?
A standard 240 litre capacity wheeled bin is provided to
every property for rubbish and recycling through out the
Borough.
Rubbish: The bin holds approx 4/5 full domestic sacks of
rubbish
Recycling: All accepted recyclable materials to be placed
clean and loose into the bin.
Does the Council supply wheeled bins and is there a
charge?
Yes, the Council supplies both a rubbish and recycling
wheeled bin to each property which must be used to contain your
rubbish/recycling.
The first bin is given free, but if the bin is lost or stolen
then a charge will be made to replace the bin. If a
second rubbish bin is required due to the number of people in the
family, this may be approved after a visit by a Waste and Recycling
Advisor. They will ensure recycling is being done effectively
and inform the resident of charge for second rubbish
bin. A payment would then need to
be taken before the bin is delivered.
How often are my wheeled bins collected?
Havant Borough Council runs an 'alternate weekly
collection' (AWC) system: one week your rubbish is collected
and the following week your recycling is collected.
All rubbish collected is taken to the
Energy Recovery Facility (external link) (ERF) at Portsmouth,
where it is incinerated. The energy from the
incineration is converted into electricity and put back into
the national grid, supplying homes in Portsmouth with energy.
For those materials that cannot be collected from the
recycling containers (e.g. glass, textiles etc.) there are various
recycling points throughout the Borough that you can click on
Recycling
Centres.
What day are my wheeled bins emptied?
What day will my rubbish and recycling bins be emptied
during Bank Holidays/Christmas and New Year?
There are no changes to your collections if it falls on a
Bank Holiday Monday or Good Friday. Revised dates for the
Christmas/New Year will be made available on the web and the
Council's winter edition of Serving You.
My property is not suitable for storing a wheeled bin - what
can I do?
The Council recognises that some properties are not able to
accommodate a wheeled bin because of the type or layout of the
property, for example:-
- terraced properties opening directly onto pavement or road and
with no rear access.
- properties with steep banks and many steps.
- properties such as flats where all waste is contained in a
shared refuse compound.
- properties with restricted access.
Contact Customer Services if your property has any of the above
issues - each one will be considered on an individual basis.
Where should I put my bin to be emptied?
On your collection day, you should place your wheeled bin
at the boundary of your property adjacent to the road - please make
sure the handles are facing out towards the road, as this makes it
easier for collection. Your bin must should be out by
7am on the day of collection (or the night before), and returned
onto your property as soon as possible. Bins must not be left
out on the public highway unless being presented for
collection.
What if I am unable to move my wheeled bin to the boundary of
my property?
For those of you who are unable to take the bin to the edge of
your property you can request an assisted collection, this
is where the rubbish and recycling crews will collect wheeled
bins from an agreed location.
Eligibility for this service is decided by a council officer
after a planned visit.
Either call or email customer.services@havant.gov.uk,
if you would like a Waste and Recycling Advisor to contact you.
I have had family or friends to stay over the weekend and have
generated more rubbish than normal - will the excess be
cleared?
Rubbish:
Residents must contain all rubbish within the wheeled
bin provided and the lid must be closed when we collect. Any
excess rubbish left alongside the bin or on top will
NOT be collected and will have to wait until the
next scheduled rubbish collection or be disposed of
at your nearest Household Waste & Recycling Centre
(HWRC). Use the Recycle Now (external link)
for a list of HWRCs in your area and opening times.
If you have a larger family living permanently at the property,
then you may be eligible for an additional domestic or
recycling bin. Please either call
or email customer.services@havant.gov.uk if
you would like a Waste and Recycling Advisor to contact you.
Recycling:
Extra recycling can be placed alongside the wheeled bin, in
either a cardboard box or untied plastic sack. Please
do not put in tied black sacks as these can be mistaken for
domestic rubbish and will not be collected.
Why has my wheeled bin not been emptied?
It could be because your bin was not placed on the front
boundary of your property on the day of collection, and therefore
not accessible to the crew between 7am and 4pm. Parked
vehicles and locked gates can also cause issues. If this is
not the case then please either call
or email customer.services@havant.gov.uk.
My refuse is going to smell over a two week period and I'll get
maggots in my bin.
Maggots can appear within 8-12 hours of eggs being laid by flies
in warm weather and have always been present on weekly collected
rubbish. These problems will not be encountered if food waste
is wrapped and sealed properly in a tied plastic bag. with no holes
or tears (in summer double wrapping is best). Wheeled bins
significantly reduce the liability of flies getting into bins to
lay eggs - If possible storing a bin in a shady location and
occasionally using contact insecticide on the inside of the bin
will help.
For more information click on the link Good
Housekeeping
What can I put in my recycling bin?
Please place all of the items listed below in your bin -
clean and loose. Do not place in plastic
carrier bags or black sacks as these cannot be recycled in our
scheme, and it is unknown what is contained within the sack which
causes problems at the sorting facility.
- all types e.g. milk,
fruit juice, squash, mineral water, household cleaners and
detergent bottles - please remove lids,
empty and
rinse.
- newspaper, magazines,
yellow pages (external link) /phone books, cardboard,
catalogues, envelopes, directories, cereal packets and all
other
paper products and cardboard packaging can be
included.
- food tins (please
rinse)
- drink cans (please
rinse)
-
aerosols (empty, with the plastic lid
removed) For
more information>>
Click here for more top
tips (external link) to help you recycle at home.
What is NOT accepted in my recycling bin?
It is important that the right materials are placed in the
container to avoid contamination/spoiling the quality of the
other good recyclable material. Listed below are common items
that appear in recycling bins, please do not place any of the items
listed in your bin.
- Other plastic packaging - e.g. yogurt, margarine or ice
cream tubs, carrier bags/bin liners, polystyrene, cellophane, food
trays etc.
- Tetra packs - e.g. fruit juice and milk cartons.
- Domestic waste
- Shredded paper
- Gift wrap
- Garden waste
- Textiles - e.g. clothes, shoes, linen etc.
- Glass bottles or jars
Click here to find out why we are currently unable to
accept (external link) these items.
Where can I recycle other items (such as glass, textiles
etc)?
Click here for a list of recycling facilities (external
link) in the Havant Borough - place your postcode in the
'Find out what you can recycle and where....' click on the
recycling bank icons - this will list what is accepted at these
sites.
Other types of waste
If you are unsure which category the waste you want to dispose
of fits under, please clink on
alternative routes (external link).This search facility will
also list numbers of local community organisation and licensed
private waste contractors who will, for a possible fee, collect or
take delivery of other types of waste not accepted at HWRC's.
What can I do with my Garden Waste?
Please use the link garden
waste collection service for my information on the Council's
collection service. Alternatively you can take your garden
waste to your local Household Waste Recycling Centres. All
garden waste collected within the borough is recycled into soil
conditioner called
Pro-Grow (external link), which is sold throughout
Hampshire at the HWRC's.
What other waste collection services do you provide?
Please see below for more detailed information:
Garden
Waste
Healthcare/Clinical Waste
Special
Collections of bulky household items e.g fridges, settee's
etc
Where is my nearest Household Waste Recycling Centres/Amenity
Site?
Follow the Recycle Now (external
link) for a list of HWRC's around the Havant Borough.