As we’ve moved closer to the introduction of changes to household bin collections as part of the Government’s Simpler Recycling initiative, some sections of the media have been reporting misleading claims about what’s happening.
As a partnership between Surrey’s district and borough councils, whose job it is to collect household waste, and Surrey County Council, which is responsible for disposing of household waste, we’re best placed to give you the facts about Simpler Recycling in Surrey.
MYTH #1 – There are items that you will be banned from putting in your bins
Not true. However, there is a list that specifies items that councils do not need to collect for recycling under the new rules. The reason for the list is to help make it clear to councils which items do need to be collected for recycling under the new rules.
If you want to know which bin to put virtually any item you can think of in, use the Surrey Recycles search tool. Just enter your postcode then an item and the tool tells you what to do with it.
MYTH #2 – Simpler Recycling means I could get fined for putting items in the wrong bin
Not true. The introduction of Simpler Recycling will not mean changes for whether and how local councils can act against residents for incorrectly disposing of items. Existing legislation means that local councils can issue Fixed Penalty Notices of between £60 and £80 if someone is deliberately and consistently placing items that cannot be recycled in their recycling bins, and this can only be done once a written warning has been issued.
MYTH #3 – Simpler Recycling means I’ll need more bins
Not true. For some areas in England, they may need more bins as food waste collection services are being introduced for the first time. However, in Surrey, all properties already have access to a food waste collection service, meaning that there will be no change to the number of your bins.