Frequently Asked Questions
Below are answers
to some of the questions that the recycling team are asked the
most when talking to residents in Bedford Borough…
My waste has not been collected,
what can I do?
Does everything really get get
recycled?
Do I need to wash my recyclables
before putting them out?
What happens if I put the wrong items in
my recycling bin?
If I have an orange lidded bin,
should I place the recycling in a bag?
Can I have an orange lidded bin
and orange sacks?
My orange lidded bin is full, what can I
do?
I’m not using all the space in my
bin – can I get a smaller one?
Where can I take glass bottles
and jars?
Why do we only take
bottles and jars, and not other forms of glass like window panes,
mirrors, etc?
Can I recycle shredded
paper?
Can I recycle envelopes with
plastic windows? What about staples?
What can I do if I have
a large amount of cardboard?
My waste has not been collected,
what can I do?
If your waste has not been collected,
please contact Customer Services on 01234
718060 as soon as possible after your normal collection
day. Alternatively, you can complete our online
Report a Problem form.
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Does everything really get
recycled?
YES! Your recyclables go to the Materials
Recycling Facility (MRF) at Elstow to be sorted by hand. Materials
which are not sorted out at Elstow are taken to Milton Keynes where
further sorting is done using hi-tech equipment. The sorted
recyclables are then baled up before being re-processed and turned
into new useful items.
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Do I need to wash my recyclables before putting them
out?
Yes please. Getting rid of any food or drink
residue will help keep your recycling container clean and makes
sorting it by hand a little more pleasant! Quickly rinse containers
in the last of your washing up water to avoid using extra water and
energy.
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What happens if I put the wrong items in
my recycling bin?
Recycling bins and sacks
contaminated with glass and/or general waste such as food and
nappies will not be collected. This is because it will contaminate
recyclables when they are sorted and could be dangerous to those
who sort the recyclables by hand. Putting items that can’t be
recycled into your orange bin or sack could lead to the rejection
of a whole load of good quality recycling. Please note that
recycling left in black sacks will not be collected.
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If I have an orange lidded bin, should I
place the recycling in a bag?
No, all of your recycling should be placed
into your bin clean, dry and loose. This makes it easier to sort at
the Materials Recycling Facility.
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Can I have an orange
lidded recycling bin and orange sacks?
The council provides a standard amount of recycling containers
free of charge, it also provides some extra containers free of
charge. For those producing more recycling there is also the
ability to purchase more containers. Please see the diagrams below
for more details:
Call Customer Services on
01234 718060 or e-mail callcentre@bedford.gov.uk
for more information or to request extra recycling capacity.
Bedford Borough Council is currently aiming to
recycle over 40% of its waste. However, the amount of waste
produced per household within Bedford Borough is significantly
higher than other similar sized local authorities. In addition, the
cost of dealing with all of the Borough’s waste is increasing each
year due to government legislation which imposes additional costs
on waste treatment. The Council is therefore also trying to
encourage all residents to reduce their waste at source first and
then recycle.
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My orange lidded bin is full, what can I
do?
Here are some tips to help you maximise the
space in your bin and minimise your waste:
- Reduce the waste you produce by careful
shopping. Look for products with less packaging, buy fruit and
vegetables loose and consider buying in bulk to reduce packaging
waste.
- Stop unwanted junk mail by signing up with
the Mailing Preference Service at www.mpsonline.org.uk or by
calling 08457 034599.
- Squash and flatten any plastic containers,
tins, cans and cardboard;
- Place items loose in the orange lidded bin,
do not leave it in bags or sacks.
- Take large cardboard boxes to Bedford’s
Household Waste Recycling Centre on Barkers Lane as these can take
up lots of space in your bin.
Please note that for larger families it may be appropriate to
provide larger orange lidded recycling containers. Please see
previous question for containers provided by the council and
options for additional recycling. For more information please
contact the Customer Services on 01234
718060.
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I’m not using all the
space in my bin – can I get a smaller one?
Yes, every household is entitled to either a
standard sized 240 litre refuse/recycling bin or a smaller 140
litre bin. Call Customer Services on
01234 718060 to swap your bin for a
different size.
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Where can
I take glass bottles and jars?
They can be taken to your
local recycling site. These collection points include all the
major supermarkets. We collect glass in different colours – green,
clear and brown – as this maximises the economic value and makes it
easier for glass to be reused. Glass must not be put in the orange
recycling bins or bags as it could smash and be unsafe to
handle.
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Why do we only take bottles and
jars, and not other forms of glass like window panes, mirrors,
etc?
Window panes, mirrors, glass cups and dishes,
and glass oven ware (e.g. Pyrex®) are made of toughened glass, and
therefore cannot be recycled. If we recycle these items in with
glass bottles and jars it will become broken and mixed in so it is
impossible to tell the difference between the materials. This
creates quality problems for glass manufacturers and re-processors
when they come to recycle it. We are however currently
investigating different avenues for recycling these materials.
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Can I recycle shredded
paper?
Only shred confidential documents and not all paper. Recycling
paper works best when the sheets are larger as this means the
fibres within it are longer and can be recycled a greater number of
times.
You can put ribbon/thick cut shredded paper in your recycling
bin. We are unable to accept cross-cut shredded paper; it is like
confetti and can’t be processed properly. The best thing to do
is to put it in your compost bin or use it as animal bedding.
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Can I recycle envelopes with the
plastic windows? What about staples?
These items are fine to put in your recycling bin. In the recycling
process, all paper is converted to pulp with water. A screening
process then separates the fibres and water from contaminates such
as plastics and glue, and heavier items such as
staples are removed. So no need to worry about removing
staples or plastic windows!
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What can I do if I have a large
amount of cardboard?
There is a container at the Household Waste
Recycling Centre on Barkers Lane for cardboard. Cardboard should be
emptied and flattened before visiting the centre. Alternatively, it
can be torn up into small A4 sized pieces and placed in your orange
lidded bin or sacks.
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If you have any
other questions that are not answered here then please email them
to us at recycling@bedford.gov.uk or
contact Customer Services on 01234
718060.
