Bedford Borough Council is pleased to announce a new trial program to improve glass recycling in the borough. Residents in chosen areas will soon be able to recycle glass bottles and jars directly in their orange-lidded bins.
“We're excited to launch this trial and offer residents a more convenient way to recycle their glass,” says Councillor Jim Weir, Portfolio Holder for Environment, Highways, and Transport at Bedford Borough Council. “This initiative not only makes recycling easier but also helps us prepare for new government legislation requiring local authorities to collect glass at the kerbside in the most cost-effective way.”
While Bedford Borough Council already collects over 2,700 tonnes of glass annually through mini-recycling sites with glass banks, analysis of household waste suggests a significant amount of glass (an estimated 1,500 additional tonnes) ends up in domestic black bins. This new trial aims to capture this missed glass and boost overall recycling rates.
The trial will be monitored throughout, with regular reviews to assess the impact on existing collection rounds and what adaptations may need to be introduced. A key factor that the team want to understand is the fluctuations in the amount of glass in the bins, especially during summer and Christmas and New Year when the waste glass tonnage generated is at its highest.
Trial Details:
- The trial is expected to begin in late April or early May and run for approximately nine months.
- The Environment Team has carefully chosen a representative mix of urban and rural property types within the trial areas.
- The Council has also adapted two collection vehicles to handle the increased weight and potential for glass breakage.
- Specific locations and start dates will be announced in April.
What Can You Recycle?
During the trial, residents in the designated areas will be able to recycle the following glass items in their orange-lidded bins:
- Glass bottles (any colour or size)
- Glass jars (e.g., for sauces, jam, baby food)
- Non-food glass bottles (e.g., perfume, aftershave, face cream)
What Can't Be Recycled?
Please note that the following glass items are not accepted in the trial and should continue to be placed in the black bin or taken to the Household Waste Recycling Centre:
- Drinking glasses
- Glass cookware (e.g., Pyrex, microwave oven plates)
- Vases
- Window or greenhouse panes
Bedford Borough Council encourages residents in the selected areas, to participate in this trial and help make Bedford Borough a more sustainable community. Residents can find what should and shouldn’t go in their domestic bins, and use the Recycling Locator to learn where different materials and items can be recycled, at www.bedford.gov.uk/mybins.
Residents that are not included in the trial will be able to continue taking their glass bottles and jars to their closest mini-recycling site, these can be found at www.bedford.gov.uk/MiniRecyclingSites.