Refuse - Frequently Asked Questions

Customer questions

I have heard that my rubbish and recycling collections are all changing. Is this true?

  1. There will be no overnight change anywhere in East Devon.
  2. However, there is a new Refuse and Recycling Contract which started on 1 April 2006.
  3. Once the new contract is working smoothly, we will be making changes to deliver our Waste Strategy, which will be a great improvement on how things are done now.

How is refuse and recycling collection organised at present in East Devon?

  1. We have one contractor, SITA, who collect both refuse and recycling.
  2. We collect refuse weekly from every home in East Devon.
  3. We collect recyclable materials fortnightly from every home in East Devon.
  4. Too much of our household waste goes to landfill.
  5. We are not meeting some of the UK and EU targets.
  6. We need to improve the service we provide.
  7. We have created a Waste Strategy .

Why is EDDC changing its arrangements for refuse and recycling collections?

  1. The changes are happening so we can deliver our new Waste Strategy, which was announced in 2004.
  2. The things we need to do were put before the public and we asked for people’s views through a consultation exercise before finalising our plans.

Why does EDDC need a Waste Strategy?

  1. East Devon households produce over 45,000 tonnes of waste a year
  2. We are committed to improving quality of life and preserving the environment
  3. We face more challenging EU and UK recycling and composting targets

     So we must:

  • Reduce waste produced and
  • Increase amount recycled and composted

What does EDDC’s Waste Strategy aim to do?

Our Waste Strategy is intended to ensure that the improvements we have to make to meet new UK and EU targets actually happen. The Strategy describes in detail what we will do and this can be read on our website. In brief, though, the improvements are:

Collections must be comprehensive, convenient and easy, so our contractor must:

  1. Provide 100% of East Devon households with a kerbside collection scheme for dry recyclables
  2. Expand range of materials recycled to include plastic bottles and cardboard
  3. Change frequency of current recycling collection from fortnightly to weekly
  4. Make it easier for households to support the strategy
  5. Introduce the changes in phases, one area at a time

How will the new contract deliver the Waste Strategy?

  1. We had the aims of the Waste Strategy in mind when we went out to tender for a new contractor, who will be doing this work for us for the next seven years at least.
  2. The contractor we chose was SITA, which is one of the two companies that were collecting refuse and recycling for us up to the award of the new contract.
  3. SITA and EDDC will work together to deliver all the improvements we need to make.

What are East Devon’s waste targets?

  1. A recycling and composting rate of 27% from 1 April 2005
  2. Collecting 4 kilos of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment from householders annually by 31 December 2006
  3. A doorstep collection of at least 2 materials from ALL households by 2010
  4. Stepped recycling and composting rates:
  5. 40% from 2010*
  6. 45% by 2013*
  7. 50% by 2020*

How will the new contract help to deliver these targets?

  1. By minimising waste
  2. And by maximising recycling and composting

What are the main priorities of the Waste Strategy?

Encourage households already keen to recycle

Make it more attractive for the others by offering:

  • A container for refuse
  • More frequent recycling collections
  • Separate collection of kitchen and organic waste for composting (post 2008)  

Ensure all changes are backed by:

  • Communication and Education
  • Enforcement (where necessary)

Inform and involve householders before they are affected through:

  • Publicity in the local press
  • Ward Members and Town/Parish Councils
  • Local road-shows in their area prior to go-live

How long will all this take?

Changes as big as this will take time, especially as we are not only taking one new step, but we will be continuing to make further improvements to meet more and more stretching targets.

The main changes we are planning at the moment will take up to two years, but there will be an ongoing programme of further improvements which will be publicised once the details are known.

There is a separate question on timings which gives more detailed answers.

How much is all this costing? I bet our Council Tax will be going up to pay for it!

Due to the competitive terms of the contract EDDC has awarded to SITA, the changes will not cost EDDC Council Tax payers any extra. However, the Council has arranged to borrow up to £1.5 million to purchase the necessary equipment (mainly new bins) that will be given to each household. We are confident that savings from the new way of working will allow us to pay back this loan over a ten-year period.

Where can I learn more about EDDC’s Waste Strategy?

This is available online at:

http://www.eastdevon.gov.uk/index/council_services/refuse/new_refuse_contract.htm

What will actually be changing – and when will it be changing?

In 2006 we implimented the following:

  • Before 1 April – dedicated Helpline number for queries on Refuse and Recycling- 01395 517528
  • 1 April – Moved from two service providers to one (SITA)
  • 1 April – vehicles in new livery started to appear and collection teams wearing SITA uniforms and EDDC / SITA safety vests
  • May – in partnership with DEFRA, we introduced a dry cell battery recycling scheme.

From 2007 onwards:

  • From 1 April 2007 – Continue phased service changes to around 25,000 households
  • From January 2008 – Weekly recycling collections and wheelie-bin refuse collection in ‘trial area’ (to be decided) of around 12,000 households
  • From January 2008 – Continue service changes to remainder of the District
  • From 1 April 2008 – Consider future service improvements to meet ongoing Government Targets

How are the timings of the changes being decided?

The service improvements will affect 100% of households in East Devon by April 2008

The programme of change is currently being worked out to decide:

  • Which area transfers across and when
  • What type of refuse containers will be used

EDDC and SITA will choose these factors based on:

  • The most economical solution for EDDC
  • The most efficient operational solution for SITA

How will we know what is happening in our district and when?

Everyone affected by the changes will be kept informed on a regular basis:

  • By EDDC communications through the Media and our website
  • By road-shows held in each community before any change takes place
  • By Town and Parish Councils and Ward Members

Will there be a dedicated helpline telephone number for the public to use if they have any queries?

Yes. The number is 01395 517528 (Customer Service Centre).

The website is at:

http://www.eastdevon.gov.uk/index/council_services/refuse/new_refuse_contract.htm

When will green box recycling be available to all households in East Devon?

The green box recycling scheme is available to all properties in East Devon. If you do not have a box yet please call our Customer Services Centre on 01395 517528 who will order one for you.

Will East Devon be getting wheelie bins?

Yes. There will be a trial first using approximately 12,000 households commencing in 2007.

What size wheelie bins will they be?

The regular wheelie bins will be larger than a standard dustbin.

How are you deciding what size the wheelie bin should be?

Government targets for recycling are relatively high and will increase over time. The most effective way to achieve this is to encourage people to sort as much of their waste into recycling boxes as possible. The amount of unrecyclable waste from most households should be relatively small. If we give people a really large wheelie bin, there is no incentive for them to put more things in the recycling box.

If I have to wait up to two years before I get a wheelie bin, can I buy my own as I am not very mobile and I feel it would be much easier for me to move a bin with wheels on it.

We would not recommend that anyone should purchase their own wheelie bin, as the type, size and colour may differ from that which is required once we move to the wheelie bin system. This would clearly be a waste of the householder's money. If anyone is having genuine difficulty moving a static bin, then we would be able to offer an assisted collection.

I have a large family. Could I have a larger wheelie bin?

Anyone with a genuine problem can call us and we will provide advice and guidance. There will be an opportunity to get more recycling boxes. The collection of recycling on a weekly basis should make it possible for most households to manage.

I am a pensioner living alone. Could I have a smaller wheelie bin?

Anyone with a genuine problem can call us and we will provide advice and guidance. It may be possible to provide a smaller bin for households that do not produce much refuse, or for people who cannot manage to move a standard size bin.

I forgot to put out my refuse last week and now my wheelie bin is full. Can I put a bin bag out beside my wheelie bin?

No. For hygiene reasons, we can only collect waste from a lidded wheelie bin. So-called ‘side waste’ will not be collected and should not be left out.

I have had my wheelie bin stolen. Can I have a new one please?

Any wheelie bin that has genuinely been stolen will be replaced free of charge.

The contractor damaged my bin when they were collecting. Can I have a replacement please?

The contractor will have to report any damage they cause to a bin or box. Bins or boxes damaged by the contractor will be replaced at no charge to the householder.

My wheelie bin was collected this morning but the contractor has given me back the wrong bin and this one is dirty. Can you replace it please?

The contractor will be expected to replace the bin back in the same location as it was collected. There will inevitably be mistakes and we suggest that you mark your bin clearly with your house number and street to make it easier for the collectors.

I live in a seaside town. Will the new contractor continue to collect my bin from my back garden?

No. It is the responsibility of the householder to wheel their bin to the kerbside.

I am disabled and I cannot handle a wheelie bin. Can you collect it from the place where I usually leave my dustbin?

In genuine cases of difficulty, we will always help the customer in any way we can. A disabled customer will already be subject to special arrangements and this will continue under the new contract.

How will I find out about these changes to both refuse and recycling?

There will be lots of publicity in the local Media. Road-shows will also be visiting each area leading up to any changes. You can also visit the East Devon website at: http://www.eastdevon.gov.uk/index/council_services/refuse/new_refuse_contract.htm which will be kept updated with news and information.

I pay over a thousand pounds Council Tax and I want you to take all my rubbish, not just the small amount I can get in my wheelie bin.

Only approximately 8% of your Council Tax is retained by East Devon District Council. The rest goes to Devon County Council, the Police and Fire and Rescue Service. The cost of both your refuse and recycling collections has not increased as a result of the new contract and the cost for these collections per household equates to 88p per week.

Who has made all these decisions including which contractor, the new schedules and sizes of bin, etc?

The final decisions have been made by Elected Members of EDDC under the guidance of the Head of Street Scene Services and other experts. The Project Team also studied similar schemes in three other regions before making final decisions. The arrangements being put in place in East Devon are based on the EDDC Waste Strategy, which was the subject of public consultation. The contract was advertised in full compliance with EU regulations and audit requirements.