Don't understand my council.

Merry · Post: # 91051Post **Merry** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 8:23 am

We have a blue bin for recyclables - glass, plastic, cans etc. - a black bin for `non-recyclables` and a choice of a brown bin for compostables or a composter. We said, "Can we have both please?" and our Waste Dept said, "`Course you can!" and delivered both.
Pretty good really. We still have the `Street corner` recycling stations as well and they`ll send a van to pick up big stuff if you ask them. They also deliver van loads of shredded bark etc free to allotments etc. and provide free skips to allotments twice a year.

Flippin` eck - am I really praising the council?
Credit where it`s due though.

ina · Post: # 91052Post **ina** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 8:32 am

Merry wrote: Flippin` eck - am I really praising the council?
Credit where it`s due though.

You are right - that sounds like just about the best service I've heard of!

the.fee.fairy · Sat Mar 22, 2008 1:00 pm

Does sound like a good service!
I wish more councils would follow their lead.

oldfella · Post: # 91154Post **oldfella** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 6:18 pm

[quote="dudley"]I notice that all the replies on this topic are from UK members! What does the rest of Europe do about home collecting I wonder?

Here in my area of France, and as we live outside the Village we have a big wheelie bin for about ten house's and it is emptied at 6 o'clock every Thursday morning, it is only ever full in the holiday season. I addition we have 4 waste collection areas within 20 miles of home the nearest being 3 miles from us and at this point there containers for all refuse. All garden refuse is composted and in the spring you can collect as much compost as you like free of charge. If you require a skip then we can get one from the commune free of charge as long it is for less than a week.

ina · Post: # 91186Post **ina** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 7:39 pm

Where my family lived in Germany, they collect just about everything from home; however it has to be in special bags: you buy "clear" bags for recycling - they are very cheap; and "yellow" bags for rest waste, and they are very expensive. And then you have to make sure that each of the clear bags only gets filled with one type of rubbish; otherwise they'll put a sticker on and leave it.

There are also the usual containers for cardboard, bottles etc - that saves you money because you don't have to buy the bags. I'm not too keen on this system, because the bags in themselves are rubbish... On the other hand, it does charge you according to the amount of waste you create, and favours those who can be bothered to separate it. There are different systems in other areas of Germany.

And yes, you get the compost free once or twice a year, too.