Compulsory Recycling

Compulsory Recycling Q&A for WFD
London Borough of Waltham Forest
August 2007


What is Compulsory Recycling?

From 10 September 2007, residents of in Waltham Forest are being asked to recycle as part of a Compulsory Recycling scheme. This means that all residents in the Get Sorted! Door-to-Door Recycling Service have to recycle paper, cardboard, glass bottles and jars, food and drink cans, plastic bottles, textiles, shoes, batteries and engine oil in their black recycling boxes.

Support will be given to residents to ensure they understand the scheme and to help them to recycle. If they continually fail to recycle, they could be fined up to £1,000. Fines will only be used as a last resort for persistent non-recyclers.


Why is the Council introducing Compulsory Recycling?

The government has set recycling targets for local councils. If these targets are not met, the Council will have to pay heavy fines, which will have an impact on all residents through increased council taxes.

After a very successful trial in the South Chingford and Woodford Green areas, which substantially increased recycling rates, the scheme is being rolled out across the whole borough. The Compulsory Recycling Scheme has been undertaken to help Waltham Forest meet its recycling targets of 33% for March 2008 and 50% by 2012.


Does Compulsory Recycling apply to all residents?

No, currently Compulsory Recycling does not apply to some flats (in blocks and above shops) that have shared refuse facilities. However, we do provide a free recycling service to all properties in the borough. To request facilities, please contact Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000.


Is Compulsory Recycling legal?

Under Section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, Waltham Forest Council can legally ask residents to use particular containers for different waste streams. Therefore, the council does not allow residents to place paper, cardboard, glass bottles and jars, food and drink cans, plastic bottles, textiles, shoes, batteries and engine oil in the wheeled rubbish bin. A black recycling box is provided for these materials.


What items do I have to recycle?

All paper, cardboard, glass bottles and jars, food and drink cans, plastic bottles, textiles, shoes, batteries and engine oil must be placed in the black recycling boxes provided to every household in the Get Sorted! Door-to-Door Recycling Service. Residents must not place these materials in the wheeled rubbish bin.
More information: www.walthamforest.gov.uk/wfd/doorstep.htm)


How should I recycle these items?

In order to help the Council run an efficient recycling service, there are a few things you should do when recycling.

· All items placed in your black recycling box need to be clean, so please rinse cans, jars, bottles and foil.

· Please try to separate different types of items as far as you can in your black recycling box / boxes. Additional black recycling boxes can be obtained, free of charge, by contacting Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000.

· Cardboard – flatten and fold to fit in your black recycling box. Maximum size: 28in x 18in x 9in / 71cm x 45cm x 23cm - pieces of cardboard larger than these dimensions cannot be collected by the kerbside service; please take them to a main recycling centre.

· Glass bottles and jars – rinse and remove all tops (these cannot be recycled)
· Food & drink cans and foil – rinse and flatten if possible
· Plastic bottles – rinse, remove tops (these cannot be recycled as they are made from a different type of plastic) and squash so they take up less space in your box. More information: www.walthamforest.gov.uk/wfd/recycling-plastic.htm)
· Textiles – place in a plastic bag to keep dry. No pillows or duvets please.
· Shoes – tie together in pairs
· Household batteries – place in a tied-up bag
· Car batteries – place next to your black recycling box
· Engine Oil – put in a sealed container in your box


If I cannot fit all my recycling into my black recycling box can I leave it next to the box?

No, all items must be placed in the black recycling box, except for extra large pieces of cardboard and car batteries, which must be placed alongside. Additional black recycling boxes can be obtained, free of charge, by contacting Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000.


What if I do not have a black recycling box or require additional boxes?

Residents can obtain a black recycling box or additional boxes, free of charge, by contacting Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000.


Are you introducing fortnightly refuse collection as part of Compulsory Recycling?

No, not at the moment. Weekly rubbish and recycling collections will continue to operate.


Will you be changing the recycling collection days?

Collection days may change due to the increased amounts of recycling that needs to be collected. Residents will be notified of any proposed collection day change.


How can I find out when my recycling collection day is?

View the collection schedule here (LINK TO http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/wfd/domestic-collection-days) or contact Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000.

How will Compulsory Recycling be enforced?

Black recycling boxes are emptied weekly so it will be easy to monitor which households are not taking part in the scheme. Recycling assistants will visit households who do not regularly recycle to explain the scheme and encourage residents to participate.

Residents who continue not to recycle will receive warnings and formal notices. As a last resort, the Council may prosecute the most persistent offenders. The Magistrates court can issue a fine of up to £1,000.


What happens if I place an item that I should recycle in my refuse bin by mistake?

The Council is trying to encourage recycling, not trying to catch residents out. The monitoring officers are only checking that items are regularly put out for collection in the black recycling boxes.


What happens if I am away and don’t put any recycling out?

The Council is trying to encourage recycling, not trying to catch residents out. We will only be following up with residents who regularly do not recycle.


Who collects the black recycling boxes?

The boxes are collected by our contractor, Verdant, which provides a weekly recycling and rubbish service on behalf of Waltham Forest.


Will I get my own black recycling box back after each collection?

Yes, but please do ensure that your box has your house name or number clearly marked to assist the recycling collectors.


What if I am physically unable to lift my box?

Residents can request an assisted collection. If a resident is unable to recycle due to health problems, and is unable to contact the Council themselves, a relative or friend should contact Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000.


Can I use other recycling facilities instead of my black recycling box?
Residents can use one of the three main recycling sites, or the mini-recycling centres across the borough. (LINK TO www.walthamforest.gov.uk/wfd/recycling-facilities.htm) If you do use alternative methods of recycling other than black recycling box, please contact Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000 so we can kept a record that you do recycle.


Why doesn’t Compulsory Recycling apply to all residents?

Compulsory Recycling currently only applies to residents living in low-rise households that are part of the Get Sorted Door-to-Door Recycling Service. This is because the black recycling boxes are not practical for flats in high-rise buildings, so a Door-to-Door service is not possible.

However, the Council does provide free recycling facilities for all properties in the borough, and is looking at ways of making it easier for residents in high-rise flats to recycle. To request facilities, please contact Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000.


What happens to the materials collected in my recycling box?

Glass – is sorted and processed at Berryman in Dagenham, Essex, to be made into new bottles or jars.
Cans – are taken to Edwards in Barking where they are sorted before being transferred to AMG Resources Ltd in Llanelli, Wales where they are recycled into new cans. Recycling cans saves huge amounts of energy and resources – recycling an aluminium can uses only 5% of the energy and produces only 5% of the Co2 compared to making a new one, and steel cans be recycled indefinitely.
Paper & Cardboard – go to Newport Paper in Shropshire where they are sorted and transported on to be made into newsprint - the paper used to make newspapers - and new cardboard.
Plastic bottles – are sorted into the different plastic types at Indigo Waste Services in Thetford, Norfolk, to be recycled into more bottles and other plastic products like guttering and even clothing!
Textiles & Shoes – are taken to LM Barry in Stratford. Textiles are sorted and good condition clothing is sent to developing countries, along with shoes. Remaining textiles are cut up and used for industrial cleaning clothes.
Batteries – are recycled at G&P batteries in Darlaston, Staffordshire. Batteries are shredded and separated into components that can be recycled, like gypsum, and waste materials like water and acid which are treated.
Engine Oil – is collected by Mallary Oils in Cambridge. Heavy metals are extracted from the oil which is then reused as industrial lubricant.


Aren’t the fines just a way for the council to make money?

Compulsory Recycling is not a revenue-making initiative for the Council. We all need to recycle more in order to meet national recycling targets. Individuals, communities and councils across the UK all need to do their bit to protect the environment and take care of where we live.

Fines will only be used as a last resort to persistent non-recyclers who have been given information and guidance on recycling. Based on the pilot that was run in the borough earlier this year, and evidence from other councils, it has been proved that threat of fines is an effective incentive to persuade people to recycle.

In the long term recycling will save residents money by avoiding national recycling fines, which would result in increases in council tax.


Why should I have to recycle – surely that’s the council’s responsibility not mine?

Individuals, communities and councils across the UK all need to do their bit to protect the environment and take care of where we live. Waltham Forest is working hard to make recycling as easy as possible for residents and have put in place extensive recycling facilities and door-to-door collections, but ultimately everyone must do their bit


What about businesses in the borough, so they have to recycle too? Surely they produce more refuse than households do?

Waltham Forest does not currently provide a trade waste recycling service. The Council is currently reviewing the trade waste service and this will include the provision of trade waste recycling. If you are a business looking for help with recycling, please contact a Waste Management Company that carries out collections of recyclables.

Are you going to use microchip tagging of bins?

There are no plans to introduce microchips in refuse bins.