Recycling, rubbish and waste
Residents of Central Bedfordshire are now recycling 47% of household waste: a huge increase since 2000/01, when the recycling figure was only 5%. This is thanks to the efforts of all the dedicated recyclers in Central Bedfordshire. Our next target is to recycle 50% of all household waste by 2011. It is our responsibility to keep residents informed about what can be recycled, which bin to put it in, when they will be collected and where your local household waste recycling centres are.
Improvements to the recycling collections
Residents are recycling more than ever and the council have made some big improvements to the collection schemes over the last year. Cartons, plastic food packaging, foil and worn out clothing were introduced into the recycling scheme for both North and South Central in January 2009 and weekly food waste collections were rolled out to the remaining 55,000 households in the north throughout 2008.
New Reuse banks installed at Ampthill andBiggleswadeHousehold Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC)
In November, Ampthill and Biggleswade Household Waste Recycling Centres became home to brand new Reuse containers. Central Bedfordshire Residents are being actively reminded to think about whether the waste they are tipping could be reused by another. Central Bedfordshire Council are pleased to be able to offer this service at two of it’s four sites. The launch coincided with the council’s waste prevention plans to mark European Week for Waste Reduction. In the launch week alone, just over 2 tonnes of reusable household items were diverted from landfill (that's the equivalent of one white Rhinoceros or two medium family saloon cars).
New 09/10 collection calendar are now available to download
The new 09/10 collection calendars are available to download. You will need to select a link from the alphabetical road names list for the first letter of your road name, next to your road name you will find your collection day and a calendar number, this will let you know which calendar to download. Click here to download.
Interim Home Compost Scheme
Following the end of the WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) subsidised home composting scheme in September 2009, the council has been working to establish a new scheme. While it is being developed, Central Bedfordshire are providing an interim home compost scheme, you can buy a 330 litre home compost bin for £15 with free delivery. Please call 0300 300 8000 to place your order.
The BEaR Project
The BEaR Project is working on behalf on Central Bedfordshire to provide an alternative to landfill. Strict Government and EU legislation require that by 2020 the amount of the UK’s household waste sent to landfill has to be reduced to 35% of the levels that were landfilled in 1995. Even though 47% of household waste was successfully recycled in 2008/09, over 60,000 tonnes of waste produced in Central Bedfordshire went straight to landfill and this figure is set to rise as the area has been earmarked for extensive housing growth..