Waste and recycling service changes - questions and answers

Most common frequently asked questions

My waste and recycling is being collected later than it used to be by the collection crews. Why is this?

The new recycling and waste collection services are being rolled-out to 189,000 homes in the Bristol area and they are a complete change for both the crews and residents. During the implementation phase, crews are getting used to the new routes and recycling systems and you are getting used to what you can and cannot recycle, so some collections are taking longer than they have in the past. However we expect collections to speed up as crews and residents get used to the new service routes and times. You should leave out your recycling and waste on the days allocated to you in your waste collection calendar and the crews will ensure that it is collected during the course of the day.

My wheelie bin hasn’t been emptied, why is this and what can I do about it?

You should contact the customer service centre if you are concerned that your recycling and waste collection has been missed. We will then investigate and if necessary make arrangements for your recycling and waste bins to be emptied. You can also complete our missed collection online form.

I have been delivered a new smaller wheelie bin, but my old wheelie bin hasn’t been taken away. What should I do?

Residents who haven’t had their old 240 litre wheelie bin collected should contact our customer service centre and we will arrange collection.

I would like an additional recycling container for my food waste/plastics/paper etc. Can I order one?

You can have additional recycling containers if you need them. Requests can be made through the customer service call centre tel. 0117 922 2100 or by completing our online new bin form

I was on the trial kerbside plastics scheme and so I have a white bag for my plastics. I’ve now been given a green recycling box for my plastics, but I don’t know what to do with my white bag?

You are welcome to keep these as a useful recycling resource. If you don’t wish to keep it you can put it out with your recycling and we will collect it on the rounds.

My street doesn’t seem to be being cleaned enough - what can I do about it?

New street cleaning rotas have been developed to fit in with the new recycling and waste collections and ensure that streets are cleaned after the recycling and refuse teams have made the collections. This means that some residents will see street cleaning teams operating at times they are not used to. However, if you are concerned that your street hasn’t been cleaned you should contact our customer service centre or complete our online street cleaning form and we will investigate this and make appropriate arrangements.

I’m concerned that litter bins in my street need emptying - what should I do about it?

Litter bins in streets are all emptied regularly under the new contract, but depending on how they are used, sometimes bins will get filled more rapidly between waste collection days. If residents are concerned that litter bins in their street need emptying they should contact our customer service centre or complete our online street cleaning form and we will arrange collection.

Green and black box recycling services

Does it matter which recycling materials I put in my green box and existing black box?

Yes please – it’s important residents get this right so that the materials being recycled end up at the right place.

• The new 55 litre green box is for your cardboard, tetrapaks, plastics and cans.
• All other materials (paper, glass, textiles, batteries, spectacles, engine oil) go in the existing 44 litre black box.

What plastics will I be able to recycle in the kerbside collection?

Why can't I recycle black plastic?

Plastics are sorted by a machine that uses light to separate the different types and unfortunately black plastics can’t be seen by this optical sorting method. Another reason is that any black items that get into the load by mistake ‘taint’ the rest of the load, spoiling the colours.

What do I do if I have too much recycling to go in my green box?

You can request an additional green box by phoning our customer services centre on 0117 922 2100. Alternatively you can place additional recycling in untied plastic carrier bags out next to your green box. If you happen to use black bin liners, please label them as recycling.

Can I put textiles and shoes out on a wet day?

Yes, if they are kept dry in a plastic bag although it is preferable to wait for a dry day before putting out textiles and shoes for collection

What happens to the food waste collection service?

The brown food waste bin collection service continues as before. The only change is that cardboard should not go in with food waste, but instead go in your green box. This is because the materials collected under the new service arrangements will go to different disposal points and therefore need to be kept separate.

Why will those residents still on the existing service be able to put their cardboard in with garden and food waste and those on the new service need to put it into their green box? Aren’t the materials collected in the same way?

The materials collected under the new service arrangements will go to different disposal points and therefore need to be kept separate. These disposal points handle the materials in a different way to the existing service, ensuring the new service is more cost effective.

How can I order new recycling containers?

Please call the council’s customer service centre on 0117 922 2100 (8.30am - 6pm Monday to Friday). You can also order an extra recycling container online

What will happen to the 50 plastics recycling banks around the city?

They will remain as long as residents use them. If the requirement for them substantially reduces as residents recycle more on the kerbside, some of them may be withdrawn but those sites that continue to be well used will remain.

Where does the recycling go?

• Glass is reprocessed in the UK into new bottles and jars.   
• Paper is reprocessed in the UK into 100% recycled paper for newsprint   
• Cans are recycled in the UK and go back into the steel/beverage can manufacturing processes.    
• Card and Tetra Paks are reprocessed in the UK into new packaging material. Plastics are recycled in the UK as a material suitable for plastic goods manufacturers.    
• Food is treated in the UK and turned into compost.     
• Green waste is treated in the UK and turned into compost.

Garden waste collection service

Will the cost of garden waste collections stay the same?

Yes, for the meantime they will remain as they are: £32 for the annual collection service (or £29 if you pay by direct debit), with a one-off cost for the garden bin of £21. People in receipt of certain benefits are entitled to a 50% reduction in the price.

Alternatively, you can buy paper garden waste sacks for £1 each. See our garden waste page for more details

I currently pay the council annually by direct debit for my garden waste collection. Will this carry on as it is or do I need to contact May Gurney?

This will stay the same if you pay for a garden waste bin.

Will my garden waste collections continue every week as they do now?

• Yes, if you have a garden waste bin.
• For those who use garden paper sacks, residents will need to contact the customer service centre on 0117 922 2100 when they want their garden waste sacks collected or complete our garden waste sacks online collection form. This will help to reduce costs and operate a more cost effective system by preventing crews from driving around every street in the city every week, looking for sacks which residents don’t always put out every week.

When will my garden waste be collected?

If you have a garden waste bin, it will be picked up on your collection day. Unlike the previous contract, where it was collected in the same vehicle as food waste and cardboard, it will now be collected in a separate vehicle.

If you put out garden waste in a purchased sack, when you phone the customer service centre you will be given a collection date.

I have garden waste every week. Will I need to phone the customer service centre every week to arrange for collection?

If you have a garden waste bin, the service will continue as it is now and there will be no need to phone the customer service centre.
For those who use the paper sacks, they will need to phone up to arrange collections or complete our garden waste sacks online collection form.

Why have I now got to call for my garden waste sacks to be picked up?

This new service means that the crews only need to go to the homes where there is a garden waste sack to be picked up, rather than driving around each street looking for sacks that are only put out from time to time. This creates a more cost effective operation.

Replacement of wheelie bins

I’ve received my green box, when will I get my new wheelie bin?

Within a few weeks of receiving your green box, a new, smaller wheelie bin will be delivered on your next collection day. When the collection crews come, they will empty the waste and remove your old wheelie bin. You can then use your new one for your next collection.

I didn’t receive my new wheelie bin, how do I get one?

If you didn’t receive a new bin, call the customer service centre on 0117 922 2100 and we will get a new one to you straight away. 

What if residents still have rubbish in the old bins on the day they’re due to be taken away?

The bin will be taken away on the waste collection day so we would expect it to have waste in it. The bin will be emptied first and then removed.

If my wheelie bin is not shut properly, will it still be collected?

No, the crews will not be able to empty the wheelie bin if the lid is not shut properly.

What if I can’t manage with a smaller bin?

You will be provided with a new 55 litre green recycling box for your plastic, tetrapaks, cardboard and cans, so you should find you have less waste for the wheelie bin. The combined volumes of the recycling containers (brown food waste bin, black box and new green box) and smaller wheelie bin will actually give residents a greater overall volume for their waste than before.

However, if you still feel you have particular needs that mean you can’t manage with a smaller bin, you should contact the customer service centre on 0117 922 2100. They can then assess your requirements and see whether you have specific needs that mean you are able to have a larger bin. Households with more than six residents can also contact the customer service centre and apply for a bigger bin.

What if I would like a smaller bin than the 180 litre one?

If you contact the customer service centre on 0117 922 2100, they will be happy to provide you with a smaller, 140 litre bin, which some residents may find easier to manoeuvre and store.

How many 240 litre wheelie bins are being taken away?

Approximately 150,000. However, these will be re-used where possible, whilst the rest will be recycled.

What will happen to the old bins?

May Gurney will reuse existing bins where practicable. Around 1,000 will be adapted as rainwater storage tanks for use on allotment sites or community food growing projects, especially where there is no existing water supply. Other bins will be adapted into spillage collection kits.
Those that aren’t being re-used will be recycled.

Wouldn’t it be more cost effective and environmentally friendly to keep the same bins?

No. By increasing the kerbside recycling services with the introduction of mixed plastics and tetrapaks collections whilst at the same time reducing the wheelie bin size, we expect to see much more being sent for recycling. Additional income is generated from the materials sent for recycling, and the disposal of waste in landfill will be lower and therefore save money.

Have May Gurney done this in any other places, and if so, what have been the results?

May Gurney have introduced the same services in Bath, Somerset, North Somerset, Bridgend and West Oxfordshire with excellent results in diverting waste from landfill to recycling.

Is this something Bristol City Council specifically asked May Gurney to do as part of the new contract in order to meet recycling and reduction targets?

Bristol City Council have set the residual (non-recyclable waste) reduction targets but not specified how these are to be met. May Gurney have provided the proven solutions to meet the targets.

Other waste services currently provided

I currently have assisted collections (where staff collect the bins from my garden, usually due to medical reasons). Will these continue? Do I need to do anything?

Yes, this will continue. May Gurney will contact you to find out whether you still require the services and if you do, they will continue to provide them.

What will happen to the clinical waste collections that a number of households currently have?

These will continue. May Gurney will contact you to find out whether you still require the service and if you do, they will continue to provide them.

Will there still be bulky waste collections? Will the price for these still remain the same?

Yes, this service will continue as it currently is, except that May Gurney aim to send more items of this nature for reuse and recycling. The cost of this service is £15 for up to three bulky waste items, or free to people in receipt of certain benefits. Find out more about the service on our bulky waste collection page.

I live in a part of the city that has communal bins. What will happen to these?

They will remain as they are. May Gurney will phase in an increase in the types of materials that can be recycled from these areas to include mixed plastics and tetrapaks.

Bank holidays

What will happen to collection days over Bank Holidays?

Recycling and waste will be collected as normal on all Bank Holidays, with the exception of Christmas day, Boxing day and New Year's day. See your calendar for more detail. If you need a new calender, contact the customer service centre on 0117 922 2100 to request another copy.

Street cleansing

How often can I expect my street to be cleaned and when?

All streets will be visited at least once a week and will be cleansed if required by May Gurney street cleansing crews. This will be carried out the day after waste and recycling collections. Customer satisfaction surveys will also be carried out to ensure May Gurney are achieving increased levels of satisfaction.

For more information

I’ve lost the leaflet with the new collection calendar on it. Where can I get another copy?

All the information including the collection day finder is available on our website. However, you can also contact the customer service centre on 0117 922 2100 to request another copy.

I’ve lost the leaflet that came with my new green box, Where can I get another copy?

All the information is available on our website. However, you can also contact the customer service centre on 0117 922 2100 to request another copy.