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Recycling & Waste

The Council will provide the number of bins requested and empty them at the agreed frequency for the garden waste service.

All bins remain the property of the Council. All waste must be contained within the bins provided. Any waste not contained in a Worcester City Council brown bin will not be collected.

Only agreed waste may be disposed of through this service.

Bins should not be filled with such a weight as to make the moving or emptying process hazardous to the Council’s operatives. The Council reserves the right to suspend or cancel the service for customers whose bins are overweight.

Due to the mechanical methods used to empty bins, it is a requirement that bins are presented with the lids in the closed position. The Council reserves the right to suspend or cancel the service to customers who fail to put the bins out with the lids closed.

Bins should be presented by 7am on the day of collection at the front edge of the property, at the same collection point as the black/green bin, unless other arrangements have been agreed.

Collection crews cannot return if your bin is put out late or not presented. The customer shall be responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of the bin.

The customer is required to ensure that bins are only used for the storage of garden waste materials for collection by the Council. The Council accepts no liability for the loss of any materials which have been placed in the brown bin for disposal or otherwise.

The brown bin remains the responsibility of the customer, and if they move within the City, it is their responsibility to inform the Council prior to moving the brown bin to the new property. Bins are registered to the property and not to the customer: therefore, the bin must not be removed from the property without prior agreement from the Council.

The Council reserves the right to withdraw its service at any time. Reasons for withdrawal of the service include, but are not limited to, non-payment of annual invoices, misuse of the waste receptacle leading to damage of Council property, abuse of any kind towards Worcester City Council staff.

The customer shall at all reasonable times allow the Council and any other  person authorised by them to have access to the brown bin to inspect, test, adjust, repair or replace it.

Should collections be missed due to circumstances beyond the Council’s control, every effort will be made to arrange an alternative collection.

Garden waste collections may be suspended during periods of severe inclement weather in order to assist with the catch-up arrangements for recycling and refuse.

For any collections which have been inadvertently missed the customer should report the missed collection via the Council’s website, or by calling our Customer Service Centre on 01905 722233.

The Council reserves the right to change the day of collection, giving reasonable notice, to suit existing rounds and current practices in order to promote an efficient service in accordance with Council priorities.

The customer will pay the agreed charge for the service provided, in accordance with the following conditions. The charge covers the cost of emptying one bin. Additional charges will apply to any additional bins required at the property.

Charges are set from 1st April each year and the Council reserves the right to increase or vary charges for the service. Customers will be notified of any price changes once they have been agreed by members.

A renewal letter/email is sent to the customer approximately one month before their current year’s service is due to expire (anniversary date), inviting them to renew their subscription. If full payment is not received at least three working days before the anniversary date, the service will be suspended. If payment is made late, the service will resume from the next scheduled collection, providing payment is made at least three working days before that collection. Any collections missed due to late payment will not be replaced or reimbursed.

If an invoice remains unpaid, the account will be closed, and the bin will be removed. Anyone wishing to resume their service once it has been cancelled due to non-payment, will be required to reapply as a new customer, and will be liable for any resulting administration fees.

These terms and conditions continue to be in force for the full service year and if cancelled by the customer at any stage within this period, no refund will be issued and the bin will be removed. Any outstanding charges or invoices due to the Council may be collected as a debt.

pdf Download our Terms & Conditions as PDF (44 KB)

 
 

Why should I recycle?

Recycling is the most environmentally friendly way to dispose of packaging.

Putting something in your rubbish bin means it will end up in landfill or incineration, but recycling gives that material the best chance of staying in use and out of the environment.

If every household in the UK recycled just one more item each week, we could save enough energy to power over 500,000 UK homes for a year.

What can I put in my green bin?

Everyday items that can go into the green bin include: 

  • Food tins, foil and drink cans
  • Mixed glass, bottles and jars
  • Plastic bottles and containers, tubs, pots, punnets and tubes
  • Paper
  • Cartons 
  • Cardboard

If you have a green recycling bin, please ensure the recycling is clean, dry and placed loosely in the bin and ensure you do not squash the metals or plastics. 

For a full list of what can and what can’t be recycled in your bin please see the A to Z of recyclingFind more local recycling facilities on the Recycle Now website.

Does recycling really make a difference?

Yes. Recycling is worthwhile and helps reduce pollution, save energy and conserve natural resources. It also supports jobs in the UK’s recycling, processing and manufacturing industries. Most people already recycle, and every bit helps.

How can I improve my recycling?

You can improve your recycling by checking what can be accepted in your green bin collections and by only putting in those items that the council specifically asks for on the Lets Waste Less website. For items not collected at kerbside check the A-Z of Recycling at Let’s Waste Less.

Do I need to squash bottles, cans and cartons and scrunch up my paper?

Please do not squash down your plastic bottles or cans. Please do not scrunch up your paper. You can flatten cardboard boxes and cartons.

The machinery at EnviroSort works best if these materials are in their original state. The main separator in EnviroSort works by separating flat things, eg. paper from items such as cans.

How do I recycle foil?

  • Make sure your foil is clean and free of food
  • Wipe or rinse foil trays
  • Remove any plastic lids or packaging and recycle these at your local supermarket
  • Scrunch clean foil into a ball if possible
  • Place in your green bin

How do I recycle plastic tubes?

  • Squeeze out any remaining product so that the tube is empty.  Rinse out as much residue as possible.
  • Leave the cap on – it can be recycled
  • Place in your green bin

Should the plastic tube be rolled up or flattened?

Please keep your tubes flat when recycling, not rolled. Rolling will mean that the tube is smaller and will run the risk of not being recovered for recycling.

Can I put shredded paper in my recycling bin / sack?

It is difficult to recycle shredded paper, we suggest you put shredded paper inside an old envelope or cereal box (then flattened down) and into your recycling collection. Alternatively, a much better way of recycling your personal documents is to put them in your home composting bin.

Why can't I put textiles into my recycling collection?

As your recyclables are collected mixed together in one bin / sack we cannot collect textiles for recycling because they will get spoilt.

You can donate clothes to charity for re-use and there are also recycling sites around Worcester where you can take unwanted textiles. ReMade in Crown Gate also collect textile donations.

Can I recycle aerosols (shaving foam, hairspray etc.) in my green bin/sacks?

Yes you can. Please put all your empty aerosol cans in your green bin/sack.

I use recycling sacks to recycle, what can I put in them?

You can recycle the same items as in a recycling bin, including glass bottles and jars. Please wrap broken glass in newspaper and put it in your recycling sack.

Recycling Banks

As well as home recycling bins, there are many recycling banks across Worcester that can be used to recycle different materials. They are located on streets across the UK as well as in supermarkets and outside housing estates.


For further information please click the markers on the map

Location

Foil

Glass

Paper

Cans

Plastic
Bottles

Textiles
/Shoes

Books

Co-op Supermarket, Ombersley Road

N

N

N

N

N

Y

N

Countryside Centre, Wildwood Drive

N

N

Y

Y

N

Y

N

Bilford Road HWS

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

Hallow Road HWS

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

Oak Apple Public House, Spetchley Road

N

Y

N

N

N

Y

Y

Prince of Wales PH, Warndon

N

N

N

N

N

Y

N

Sainsbury's, Swanpool Walk, St John's

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

Sainsbury's, Blackpole

N

Y

Y

Y Y

Y

N

Tesco's Supermarket, Mill Wood Drive

N

Y

N

N

N

Y

N

Tesco's Supermarket, St Peter's Drive

N

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

N

Note: We do not operate the recycling bring sites above. Whilst we make every attempt to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information, this information should not be relied upon.

Find more local recycling facilities on the Recycle Now website.

Household Recycling Centres

There are two sites in Worcester where you can take household waste for disposal or recycling, in Bilford Road and Horsford Road (off Hallow Road).

These Household Recycling Centres are administered by Worcestershire County Council.

 

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