Guernsey Press

Waste collection nights to change for thousands

THOUSANDS of households will have their waste and recycling collection nights changed as part of the new arrangements coming into play next month.

Published
Bin night collections will be changing next month for some parishes as part of the new waste strategy. (Picture by Tom Tardif, 22274069)

Information packs are being delivered to all households from today telling them what nights their waste and recycling will be collected from 2 September onwards.

Separate collections for food waste and glass will be introduced in the biggest change to household waste collections since the introduction of kerbside recycling in 2014.

‘With the introduction of the new collections and the switch to fortnightly pick-up of general refuse, everyone is going to see a change from September in terms of the materials they put out each week,’ said States recycling officer Tina Norman-Ross.

Current collection nights in Castel, Vale, Torteval, St Saviour’s and Forest will remain the same. However, all other parishes will see some changes.

Mrs Norman-Ross said the information packs were address specific and said whether collections would be on a different day.

‘The reorganisation of some rounds means that some will have a new collection night. However, not all households are affected, and those that do see a change are not all affected in the same way.

‘We therefore decided it was best to write to everyone to confirm their collection night, along with the calendar of what materials will be picked up each week.

‘Advisers will be out and about at various venues from Saturday to answer questions and a full list of times and places is also included in the pack. That way, hopefully everyone will be ready for when the new arrangements come into effect next month.’

Some more densely populated areas of Town will have a weekly collection of general refuse, along with their other materials. That will only apply to those households who have a Sunday night collection from September.

New household waste charges will come into effect from the start of 2019, including a new pay- as-you-throw element for general refuse, starting in February.

Food and black bag waste will continue to go to landfill for at least six weeks after the new collections come in. The new processing plant at Longue Hougue, which will prepare waste for shipment, is expected to start running in October.

New charges will begin in January. Households will pay £2.50 for black bags, a standing charge to the States of £85, plus a parish bill.