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It was acknowledged that we would not be able to get all properties onto the Twin Bin scheme in the initial rollout which went live in October 2007.
We know that twin bins have significantly increased recycling but we still need to do more if we are to meet our tough recycling targets. In addition to this twin bins have improved the cleanliness of our streets and stopped wildlife from attacking black bags and scattering litter across the streets. We are therefore extending the scheme to increase recycling and improve the cleanliness of your street.
Where there are large numbers of steps leading up to a property, with no other storage points, we will look at alternatives. Please contact us if you have any concerns.
Where there is genuinely no room to store the bins we will look at alternatives. However, alternatives are not generally available if you have a drive, garage or front garden where the bins could be accommodated. Please contact us if you have any concerns.
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Black sacks are a real problem in the town's weekly collection areas where potentially hazardous rubbish is regularly scattered along streets because the sacks have been ripped open by wildlife. Containing rubbish in communal bins is the best way of stopping this. The bins also stop residents having to store rubbish on their premises for long periods of time - they can be used on a little and often basis.
Recycling is significantly lower in the weekly collection areas so we are also considering communal recycling containers which will carry the same benefits and encourage more residents to recycle.
Yes! All affected households have been sent a detailed proposal document with a questionnaire as part of our Communal Bins Consultation.
Once the Communal Bins Consultation closes on 12 January 2009. After this we will carefully review all your responses and put a detailed proposal, based on your needs and views, to our Cabinet.
Communal bins are being proposed to help those people who can't accommodate twin bins and who might struggle to store waste over a long period of time. They mean residents will no longer need to store waste inside their property or outside their front door until collection day or brave the basement bin store! Communal bins make the streets cleaner, there is no food left for seagulls and foxes, and no ripped bags of rubbish or recycling strewn on the streets! They are already working incredibly well in Brighton, Westminster and other major parts of the country.
Fly-tipping of things like mattresses and fridges is already a problem in many of the existing weekly collection areas and we (and therefore you!) are incurring the cost of clearing them. We regularly see such items next to litter bins and we are already strengthening our enforcement activity to address this issue. Enforcement action is already taken against fly-tippers and any new fly-tipping sites will be regularly monitored and dealt with.
No. They would be emptied regularly to prevent them from overflowing and may be emptied up to six times a week depending on how much they are used.
No. The bins are made from a robust steel and have close fitting lids. Wildlife attacks on rubbish containers are no longer an issue in Brighton thanks to the introduction of communal bins.
No. The bins are on studs so cannot be moved around and experience elsewhere has shown they can be placed on steep roads without any issues. Special plates can be used to keep bins fixed to the ground if there are particular concerns about road gradient or pavements.
Communal bins will also be provided for recycling. There are also a number of recycling sites throughout the town.
Yes reducing rubbish is a high priority but keeping streets clean and providing a high quality service for our residents is also a very high priority!
The town centres and seafront areas provide many challenges for the storage and collection of rubbish. Many of the properties are converted into flats and have little or no storage for bins. Providing individual storage facilities for each household is impossible which is why we're looking at communal alternatives.
We're researching options for limiting the amount of rubbish that can be deposited into a communal bin but are also promoting the need for recycling in these areas.
Yes, we are looking to use a different colour lid and the lids will be locked so that materials can only be fed through dedicated slots.
Recycling performance in weekly collection areas is currently significantly poorer than in Twin Bin areas and needs to be addressed.
If the communal bin scheme goes ahead in Hastings we would introduce bins for both rubbish and recycling at the same time. We would combine this with an awareness campaign to promote recycling which will be easier than ever with residents no longer having to store materials until collection day.
The dedicated slots (one for paper and card with round openings for plastic bottles and tins) should prevent this.
No, whilst residents will need to use different openings for materials they go into the same container and are sorted once they are received by our materials recovery facility.
Glass cannot be recycled using the communal bins but we will be looking at communal glass bins in the future. In the meantime glass can be recycled at our various recycling sites.
Garden waste cannot be put into the communal bins.
We'll try to keep loss of parking to a minimum but some areas may have to lose spaces. The proposed locations of the communal bins will be incorporated into the consultation document going out later in the year. All communal bin site proposals are being discussed and signed off by East Sussex County Council's Highways Department to make sure any road safety issues are dealt with.
Maps showing proposed locations have been sent out to all residents as part of the Communal Bins Consultation. If, for some reason, you haven't received a map or you would like an additional copy, please contact us.
We're still looking at different sizes but generally the largest bins are no bigger than a small car and two bins can fit into a typical parking bay.
With ease! There is a foot pedal at the bottom of the bin which needs nothing more than a light push with your foot to open the lid. The bins are there for residents to use as and when they need - we suggest little and often. Assisted collections can be arranged.
We are still considering the colour of the bins but will make sure their 'visual impact' is kept to a minimum!
Early discussions with our contractors would certainly suggest that there are potentially significant longer term savings compared with the existing arrangements though it is accepted that there will need to be initial investment, just as there was with the Twin Bin scheme, and indeed will always be with any new initiative.
Yes, reducing waste is a high priority but keeping streets clean and providing a high quality service for our residents is also a very high priority. The town centres and seafront areas provide many challenges for the storage and collection of waste. Many of the properties are converted into flats and have little or no storage for bins.
Providing individual storage facilities for each household is impossible so we have to look to alternative storage options. We are investigating the options for limiting the amount of waste that can be deposited into a communal bin but are also promoting the need for recycling in these areas.
Emphatically not. Communal bins provide many benefits for the town and residents including cleaner streets and a convenient and reliable service.
The Environmental Protection Act gives us the power to specify what type of containers are used for waste. In this case we are specifying large communal containers. It also states that the local authority can place containers on the highway to enable this type of collection service.
Communal bins are a high quality service that are convenient for residents to deposit waste 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. It means residents no longer have to store waste on their properties and they make the streets cleaner. There will be no council tax rebates.
No, but we will work closely and sensitively with residents and our planning and conservation Teams.
Some flats will be included but residents will be informed individually. Flats with bulk bin arrangements will continue to receive these collections but this may be reviewed at a later date.
Assisted collections will be available if residents believe they will struggle to use the communal bin scheme. It would work by arranging for the resident to leave their waste outside their doorstep once a week (in a way they would receive the same collection as they do now). The communal bin crew would not perform the collections, this would be done separately.
Some properties that could accommodate Twin Bins may also be suitable for communal bins. We've invited relevant residents to identify their preference as part of the recently sent consultation document.
Different, side loading vehicles with 'rear steer' will be used to collect the communal bins and these are more manoeuvreable than the current collection vehicles. We've already tested the proposed routes with one of these new vehicles and there were no problems!
No. Rubbish bins will be collected up to 6 days a week. As residents deposit rubbish on a 'little and often' basis rubbish tends not to degrade and is collected long before it starts to smell. The collection vehicles can also be fitted with a deodoriser that sprays the bins when emptied and all bins will be subject to routine cleansing and maintenance!
Yes. A regime will be introduced to keep bins clean, clear of graffiti, clear of fly posting and make sure any damaged bins are promptly repaired or replaced.
Communal bins can be emptied in 45 seconds so vehicles cannot disrupt traffic for any extended period of time as often happens with the current house-by-house collection arrangements. Under a communal bin system, there would actually be less obstruction and delay for traffic!
The bins used are robust, steel bins with close-fitting lids which limit the amount of oxygen available to fuel any fire. Experience elsewhere indicates that this is not an issue and the incidence of fire and vandalism is rare.
Communal bins are better for rubbish collectors. They prevent the manual handling and 'needle stick' injuries that the Health and Safety Executive is pressing local authorities and their contractors to address.
No. The bins are fitted with dampeners to reduce the noise of the lids being opened and closed. Further modifications can also be made to reduce or eliminate any problems. When the bins are emptied the whole process takes 45 seconds so any noise would be for a minimum period of time.
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It is a robust, plastic bin on wheels that holds much more rubbish than other bins (two and a half times that of a conventional dustbin). It is more durable, easier to manoeuvre and more hygienic. A close fitting, hinged lid remains closed until the moment the bin is emptied and shuts immediately afterwards - avoiding spillages and stopping flies from laying eggs.
You have a grey wheeled bin for your everyday waste and a green wheeled bin for your recyclable waste together with full information on how to use them (read What Goes in the Bins?) and when they will be collected. Rather than collecting both every week, your grey wheeled bin is collected one week and your green wheeled bin is collected the following week.
There are plenty of facts that support any argument for reducing the amount of waste we produce and increasing the amount we recycle. There is strong evidence that twin bin schemes increase recycling and therefore help improve the environment for everybody. Our own scheme increased the town's recycling rate from 18% in 06/07 to 27% once the scheme was introduced (October '07 - March '08) but there is still more to do as the Government is now setting tough targets for local authorities. This scheme is fundamental to achieving those.
Containing waste in twin bins has also reduced the amount of litter on our streets as seagulls and foxes are unable to rip apart black bags to search for food and scatter litter. This has resulted in our best ever independently verified street cleanliness results. We acknowledge that there are still issues in areas receiving weekly collections and are currently investigating alternatives for those properties and will publish full details here soon.
Currently around 62% of the town's properties are included in the scheme with further properties being included over the next 12 months. It is acknowledged that parts of the Old Town and the centres of Hastings and St Leonards are unsuitable for wheeled bins. We are currently investigating alternatives for those properties and will publish full details here soon. In the meantime you might find it useful to read our Inclusion Policy.
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No. Please compost your garden waste, use the Hastings Household Waste Recycling Site or subscribe to the Garden Waste Scheme for an annual fee of £35 (April to March) in which you'll receive a 240 litre brown wheeled bin that will be collected fortnightly. Application forms can be obtained from our Information Centre or by contacting us directly.
Everything 'recyclable' that you currently put in your black boxes and recycling bags:
The real benefit is that you can put all these things in together - there's no more need to sort and separate your recycling!
Any household waste that can't be recycled. Please remember that while the green wheeled bin can take clean cans, tins, plastic bottles, cardboard, paper, magazines and junk mail, there are still many 'recyclable' items that it can't take. Use this guide for information on what to do with such items or check out the WEEE Man for a look at what to do with electrical items!
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No. As a piece of technology, the chip is no more sophisticated than a form of barcode. The chips will simply be our way of managing the location of the bins so that the scheme runs as smoothly as possible.
More than 75% of your waste can be recycled so if you make full use of your green wheeled bin there should be no risk of overflowing. Our 240 litre bins are much bigger than those of most local authorities but if you have any difficulties we can help you to make the most of your recycling bin so please contact us.
Our partners at DEFRA recently carried out a detailed report that strongly suggests this is not the case but the truth is that, as with any ordinary dustbin, it largely depends upon how sensible you are with your waste. Double wrapping things that are likely to rot over a fortnight (eg. chicken carcasses) should prevent any chance of odour escape. Using the bins properly and keeping their lids closed will prevent them from attracting pests. You can also occasionally rinse out the bins with disinfectant. Residents placing nappies in grey wheeled bins might consider emptying any solid waste into the toilet before doing so or contacting the Real Nappy Network for advice on environmentally friendly alternatives.
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We encourage residents to compost their garden waste but accept that there will always be some need for us to collect green or 'garden' waste. The green bag service has been replaced with a Garden Waste Scheme.
Collections under the green bag scheme have now stopped; any unused bags can be taken to the Hastings Information Centre for a full refund.
Section 47 of the Environmental Protection Act states that residents are responsible for storing their bins on their property.
The law does not tell us how many bins should be used, nor does it require us to get permission from individual properties. The law says that the number and type of bins 'shall be such only as are reasonable'. We carried out property audits to make sure twin bins are suitable and 'reasonable' for the properties in the scheme.
While the law gives us powers to enforce the rule about bins being stored on your property, you have a right to appeal through Hastings Magistrates' Court.
All recyclable waste is taken to a transfer station, where it is weighed. We use the weight information as an indication of how much people are recycling.
In 2006/07 you recycled 18% of your waste and this increased to 27% once the scheme was introduced (October '07 - March '08).
Our streets are also cleaner with independent surveys conducted after the introduction of the Twin Bin scheme showing our best ever street cleanliness scores.
Our collection crews will be checking the green wheeled bins before they are emptied to make sure they contain the correct materials. If they contain the wrong materials a bin hanger will be placed on the bin and the bin will not be emptied.
Glass cannot be processed by the materials recovery facility that sorts our recycling and is likely to break and contaminate the rest of the materials. Some materials are also sorted by hand and it would put people at risk if broken glass were included. Glass can be recycled at our recycling sites.
Our collection crews check the recycling bins for contamination by lifting the lid and visually examining the contents. The materials are also checked at our transfer and sorting facility. Unfortunately if passers-by place the wrong materials in your bin the crews must still assume the bin is contaminated. If passers-by continually use and contaminate your wheeled bins we will investigate the possibility of changing the collection point location so please contact us.
Each bin will have a white square on the side of each bin where you can record your house number and street.
The bins we provide are 240 litres, larger than those provided by many other local authorities. The dimensions for the bins are as follows:
Where necessary we are able to arrange communal bins for flats and terraced houses. Residents with long drives are expected to wheel their bins to the edge of their drives for collection.
Alternatives are available for flats and terraced houses that have limited storage or a large number of steps. If you are experiencing difficulties please contact us for further details.
Where necessary we are able to arrange communal bins for flats.
No, we would ask that you place the recycling loose in the green wheeled bin. This helps us sort it more easily.
There are a number of companies targeting towns and cities with Twin Bin schemes but we'd advise you to be extremely careful before hiring any of them. If you make full use of your green wheeled bin then our fortnightly collection of your grey wheeled bin should be more than adequate. Remember that under environmental legislation you now have a duty of care to make sure anybody you hire is fully licensed and will dispose of your rubbish properly. Remember that flytipping is illegal and if it's your rubbish that's been dumped you could be liable for a £50,000 fine. At the very least you should always ask for a Waste Transfer Note and should check the list of recognised Waste Carriers before you hire anybody.
Yes. You can find these listed on our recycling pages or on the recycle now website.
No. The bins we provide are 240 litres, larger than those provided by many other local authorities.
No. We'll only collect waste from inside your wheeled bins. Any bags placed outside the bins will be ignored but you if you recycle carefully you should be able to easily fit everything in.
We will collect extra recycling placed alongside your Green bin but please ensure that this is not in black sacks as these will not be collected. If you find that you are consistently filling your Green bin we can provide you with another, please contact us for more details.
If you have a large family or can demonstrate the need to have extra grey bin, we may be able to supply one. Please contact us for further details.
There is no need to separate your clean cans, tins, plastic bottles, cardboard, paper, magazines and junk mail. Just place them in the green wheeled bin ready for collection. Please do not put them in bags as it makes it harder for them to be sorted quickly and slows down our collection crews!
Previously we have collected bins from your point of storage but now, by 7am on collection days, you will have to move your wheeled bin safely to where your property meets the pavement of the road used by our collection vehicles. Once we've emptied the bin, you will need to return it to its location on your property. You might find it useful to read our draft Point of Collection Policy.
Up to 7am on collection days, responsibility for both wheeled bins lies with you (this includes any spillages). On collection days, for the period from 7am to when the bin is emptied, responsibility transfers to us and then back to you once the bin has been emptied.
No. While section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act states that we have a duty to arrange refuse collection, we don't have to do weekly collections. Under the twin bin scheme you'll still receive a weekly collection (one week it will be your grey refuse bin, the next your green recycling bin) with your refuse sorted into separate wheeled bins so we can deal with it more effectively.
No. The scheme will be going out across most of the town. If you decide not to recycle you will still have your waste collected once a fortnight and you run the risk of not being able to fit all of it in the grey wheeled bin. This could mean having to store waste in your home. Under the Environmental Protection Act we can take action to make sure people play their part in the scheme.
Due to ill health, infirmity or disability some residents will not be able to move their wheeled bins which is why we have an Assisted Collection Service. More information on this will be published here shortly but in the meantime you can read the draft Assisted Collection Policy.
Many people use these in the garden as water butts and storage. Of course, if your bin is plastic or metal you can take it to our Hastings Household Refuse Recycling Site.
They make great storage boxes or you can also use them to take glass to our Hastings Household Refuse Recycling Site.
Use them if you need to place extra recycling alongside your green bin.
These can be placed in your grey wheeled bin as long as they are cold. You can also compost them.
While the bins remain our property, it is your responsibility to keep them safe. However if they get damaged or stolen please contact us and we'll repair or replace your bin/s.
Our crews collect as normal Bank Holidays, the only exception is Christmas.
This year - Thursday (25 December) collections will take place on Saturday (27 December) and Friday (Boxing Day) collections on Sunday (28 December).
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This page last updated: 25/11/2008