Requests for new recycling bin top 50,000
Councillor Ian Nellins with one of the new bins
More than 50,000 Shropshire householders have requested a new wheelie bin for recycling cans, glass and plastic at the kerbside since orders opened on 13 January [2022].
So far, 50,180 orders have been placed, which means that well over one third of the county’s 140,000 households have now requested a bin.
The first bins are set to be delivered from May this year, starting in the south Shropshire area, with deliveries then being made in other parts of the county.
To request a bin people should go to shropshire.gov.uk/requestmixedrecyclingbin to place an order online.
This week (week commencing 31 January 2022) leaflets are being left under bin lids in south Shropshire, advising people about the bin and how to order one.
The bin – which is optional and free – will replace the existing black recycling boxes, and help to increase the amount of waste recycled by providing households with a larger container.
It will also reduce the amount of waste lost to the recycling process after being blown out of the boxes on windy days,
It will make the storage of recycling more convenient for residents, and reduce the amount of bending and lifting for residents and waste and recycling crews.
Ian Nellins, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member with responsibility for waste and recycling, said
“We knew the new bins would be popular and that demand would be high, and to receive 50,000 orders in just under three weeks is fantastic.
“People have until 1 April to order a bin so there is no rush and everyone who requests a bin will receive it later this year.”
Some households may not want a bin due to housing layout or the lack of storage space for the bin. These residents would be able to continue to use their existing waste containers, as will those residents who simply prefer to use boxes.
People will also be able to use their new bin as well as their recycling boxes.
Any bins requested after 1 April will be delivered later this year.
Some frequently-asked questions about the new bin can be found here.
Further information
The bin will be 240 litres, the same as those in standard use for general waste and garden waste. It will be a different colour, to differentiate it from the other bins in use.
Residents will be encouraged to retain and reuse the existing collection boxes for different purposes.
A customer satisfaction survey for the waste service conducted in 2018 included the question “What would make it easier to recycle at home?”. 45% of the responses stated that this would be achieved by the use of a wheeled bin for recycling.
Further to this local interest, the latest Government recycling tables for English councils show that all of the top five performing councils (Three Rivers, Vale of White Horse, South Oxfordshire, East Riding of Yorkshire, and St Albans) use a bin for collecting dry recycling.
In 2020/21 Veolia collected 17,000 tonnes of plastics, glass, and metals from the kerbside in the Shropshire Council area.
