Managing Waste

  1. General Rubbish
  2. Surplus General Rubbish
  3. Recycling
  4. Preparing Recycling Materials
  5. More Information
  6. Collection Dates
  7. Collection Point
  8. Conclusion

Introduction

The purpose of this email is to explain about rubbish collection from your student house.

Student households appear to generate more waste than average for three main reasons:

  • You usually prepare meals individually, rather than as a group.
  • There seem to be more delivered takeaways than a family household.
  • Internet shopping is very popular.

For these reasons, it is essential that you make maximum use of recycling facilities which means that your rubbish should be split into two categories; that which can be recycled and waste which cannot be recycled.

General Rubbish

York is split into two distinct types of collection areas; those supplied with a grey wheelie bin, and those where bin bags are collected.  However, in practice there are a few properties in black bin bag areas which have a wheelie bin.

In theory, the council will only empty your wheelie bin if the lid is shut or collect three bags per property.  In practice, if the wheelie bin has a little extra so the lid is raised a few inches it will still be emptied.  However, extra bags of general rubbish will not be collected in a wheelie bin area.

Surplus General Rubbish

You can usually fit more in your bin by compressing your rubbish, simply standing on bin bags before they are put in the bin.  In some cases you may be able to add extra to neighbours’ wheelie bins after they have been put out for collection, please consider asking for their permission.  

Recycling

Your recycling should be placed in the boxes provided split into two categories:

  • Cardboard and paper.
  • Tins, plastic, glass and foil.

The following items cannot be included in household recycling collections:

  • Plastic lined liquid containers (eg hot drink cups, Tetra paks);
  • Plastic film, bags and wrapping (including bubble wrap);
  • Broken glass (wrap and add to general waste);
  • Polystyrene;
  • Blister packs (eg as used for some pills)
  • Hard plastic (toys, furniture, clothes hangers).

If you do not have sufficient boxes, you can request more from the council.  Alternatively, extra recycling can be put into open containers, for example a bin bag full of paper and cardboard, or with cans and plastic bottles. The important point is that they are not tied shut.

The point to note is that an unlimited quantity of correctly sorted recyclables will be collected, releasing space for your general rubbish.

Preparing recycling materials

Clean and Dry:  Rinse containers before recycling to prevent contamination.  Dirty materials can attract pests and spoil recycling batches, meaning the whole load cannot be recycled.

Flattening:  Break down boxes, flatten cans and put plastic bottle lids back on when the bottle to squeezed flat.  All these measures reduce the volume of your recycling.

More Information

Much more information can be found on the council website, for example:

Collection Dates

Rubbish is collected on a fortnightly cycle.  One week your recycling is collected, the next week your general rubbish is collected.  However, the actual day may not be same for each collection, for example your recycling may be collected on Monday every fortnight and your general rubbish on Tuesday every fortnight.

To confirm your collection dates using your postcode visit: https://myaccount.york.gov.uk/bin-collections

Collection Point

Your rubbish (wheelie bins, black bags or recycling boxes) should be placed on the kerbside no earlier than 7:00pm on the night before.  In some locations a practice has developed where the residents pile black bags in a common area.  You will rapidly understand how this works as your neighbours will be doing the same, simply follow what they do.

Summary

Waste recycling is a really important part of the overall waste disposal strategy that when operated right can be beneficial for all

Please call 01904 411 111 if you have any questions, or would simply like more information, alternatively contact us now.