Drop in bulk collections of big household items since new fees
Guernsey Waste has seen a drop in bulk collections of large household items since new fees were introduced this year.
Previously the service allowed households to have up to five large or bulky items collected for recycling or disposal for a flat fee of £15.
Since the new charging regime came in on 1 January, the flat fee went up to £30, plus a charge for each individual item, ranging from £30 for a fridge, £22 for a 3-seater settee and £8 for a single bed. This means the bill for someone wanting to clear five bulky non-recyclable items has increased from £15 to a minimum of £70 and a maximum of £180.
Guernsey Waste operations manager Sarah Robinson said the reduction in the rate of applications for bulk refuse collections had been anticipated.
‘From January 1 up to 15 February 2024, we received 92 bulk refuse applications, compared to 150 during the same period last year,’ she said.
‘The longer-term trend in application numbers will become clearer once we have a full year’s worth of data.’
However, she added that income from those collections had risen compared to previous years as a result of the new tariffs.
‘This will help Guernsey Waste reduce its requirement for taxpayer funding. Although it will still not break even, households who choose to use the bulk refuse service will now make a greater contribution to the cost of providing the collections, which is fairer.’
Current waiting time for collection was around three weeks, which remained on par with previous years.
The previous flat rate charge of £15 for up to five large items was introduced in 2010, and had remained unchanged for 13 years.
Mrs Robinson said that they had received feedback from a small number of islanders who after learning of the revised fees have decided to take their bulk refuse items to the Household Waste & Recycling Centre themselves.
‘On the other hand, it has been noted by some customers that the service has been under-priced previously.’
She added that as the collection service related to bulky items of furniture and large domestic appliances they were unlikely to be thrown out very often.
‘As such, those who choose to use the service will not do so very often and the disposal of such items will only represent a small proportion of the cost of replacing them,’ she said.
‘The service is intended to provide a route for those who are unable to take bulky items to the HWRC themselves as opposed to offering a fully subsidised service.’
‘Where possible, we would encourage islanders to consider reuse over disposal if the appliances or furniture you are replacing are still in good working order. If you are considering taking them to a charity shop, please always give the charity the opportunity to inspect items first so they can ensure they are suitable for sale.’
