Household waste FAQs
Read on for answers to some of the most commonly asked refuse questions.
Q What day is my waste collected?
A Please view our collection schedule to find out your collection day.
Q Why doesn't the council operate a wheelie bin system?
A As new statutory targets for reducing waste and increasing recycling have been imposed upon local authorities, we do not use wheelie bins because we believe they encourage greater quantities of waste. Also our vehicles do not have the equipment to lift and empty wheeled bins.
Q Why do I need to put my dustbin on my boundary?
A In April 2005 Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council introduced a boundary collection across the borough. It brought into line the refuse and recycling collections, and improved efficiency and health and safety for our operatives.
Q How early is too early to put out my refuse/recycling?
A We request that refuse and recycling should be made available no earlier than the evening (5pm) before your collection day. Similarly, bins and boxes should be taken back on to your property no later than the morning following collection. Please help us to keep the streets as tidy as possible. Refuse in particular is vulnerable to attack by animals, causing litter if left out on the boundary for prolonged periods of time.
Q Is there a limit to what I can put into my dustbin?
A The legal limit is anything that will fit into a dustbin 1m high, 75cm in diameter, and weighs less than 25kg. There is no limit on how many dustbins you have. These are broad guidelines only but any contents must be genuine household rubbish. We cannot accept building rubble, garden waste or bulky items that exceed the size above and if found, these items will be left behind. We operate a bulky collection service for large items, which includes fridges, freezers and other electrical equipment.
Q Do I have to buy rubbish sacks?
A No, although many people find this to be a convenient way of storing rubbish. You can simply place your rubbish inside your dustbin. If you do use sacks please remember to tie the top of the bag.
Q What can I do with waste electrical appliances, batteries and energy saving light bulbs?
A Items such as these are collected for recycling at Hertfordshire’s Household Waste Recycling Centres, as well as a whole range of other materials. Such materials contain chemicals and elements that we should avoid putting in landfill, and also items that are recoverable and recyclable. For more information on what you can recycle and where, please see the WasteAware website or ring 08457 425000.
Q Sometimes my rubbish is collected late, why is that?
A We collect rubbish from over 45,000 properties each week and the service relies heavily on manual labour and a number of specialist vehicles. Sometimes the service can be affected by sickness, vehicle breakdowns, traffic, roads blocked by parked cars, accidents and even the weather. As a result collections can run late or be delayed until the next day. We are governed by the time the rubbish tip closes in the afternoon so we cannot simply continue collections later into the evening.
Q What has the council been doing to improve collections?
A In April 2007, Serco and Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council changed the days refuse was collected, introducing block collections to concentrate on one area of the borough at a time. There were three main reasons for this:
- Minimum miles - improving efficiency and reducing the impact of vehicle emissions on the environment;
- Block collections - concentrating vehicles in one area enables a quicker response to operational problems;
- Resource efficiency - the reallocation of spare resources allowed us to expand our glass and paper collections to new housing developments, as well as making brown bins available to all residents.
Q Why is my rubbish put out in the road but sometimes not collected?
A ‘Pulling forward' is a practice which allows our loaders to carry on working whilst the driver has taken the lorry to the rubbish tip. Occasionally the vehicle may not be able to get into the road due to parked cars and we have to return later, or the next day with a smaller vehicle.
Q Why doesn’t the council collect refuse/recycling on bank holidays?
A There are two main reasons. Firstly, everyone is entitled to a bank holiday! Secondly, the tips we use to take your refuse/recycling to are not open on bank holidays.
Q Waste is a big environmental problem. What is the council planning to do?
A Many developments have been made in recent years with concern to how waste is managed. In partnership, all Hertfordshire local authorities and the County Council have developed a Waste Strategy. For further details please see the Waste Strategy information.