Bedford Borough Council is reminding residents that only specified materials can be collected at mini-recycling sites such as glass bottles and jars, clothes and shoes. The sites are not provided to collect rubbish, the materials for recycling must go into the correct containers, and nothing should be left on the ground or residents could receive a Fixed Penalty Notice of £400 for fly-tipping.
In recent months, the Council has noticed a growing trend of residents leaving bags of rubbish and bulky waste, such as fridge freezers, next to the street and recycling bins. This causes inconvenience, a cost for the Council to remove it and environmental issues, especially during this warmer weather. One of the current areas of concern is the mini-recycling site on Old Ford End Road, Queen’s Park, with twenty Fixed Penalty Notices being issued to individuals dumping rubbish since January 2023.
Councillor Jim Weir, Portfolio Holder for Environment, Highways and Transport, said, "It’s really fantastic that so many people are making use of these mini-recycling sites to recycle their glass jars and bottles, clothes and shoes, however, we need to get the message out to residents that they cannot leave rubbish on the ground around the bins. We don’t want to be issuing Fixed Penalty Notices but we must try every method we can to deter people from dumping their rubbish incorrectly.”
If any of the bins at a mini-recycling site are full, Bedford Borough Council is asking residents to report this online or by phone. Until the bins are emptied, the Council asks residents to take their recycling home or to another site. A full list of mini-recycling sites can be found at www.bedford.gov.uk/minirecylingsites. Littering and overflowing or damaged street bins can be reported at www.bedford.gov.uk/litter, again, if rubbish does not fit inside a bin it should be taken home or to another bin.
To combat the issue, the Council has installed CCTV cameras at various mini-recycling sites across Bedford Borough. This initiative aims to deter illegal dumping of waste and ensure a clean and sustainable environment for everyone.
When visiting mini-recycling sites, residents are reminded to:
- ensure that waste items are correctly sorted before depositing them in the designated recycling bins
- follow the instructions on the recycling bins
- avoid leaving bags of rubbish or bulky items next to the recycling bins.
- Black, orange or green wheelie bins, or a larger capacity bin, can be requested at www.bedford.gov.uk/requestbins
- if residents have bulky waste, too large for their regular household waste and recycling collections, they can make use of the Bedford Borough Council bulky waste service, learn more at www.bedford.gov.uk/bulkywaste
- if residents choose to use another waste carrier they should check their licence at http://www.gov.uk/find-registered-waste-carrier or by calling 03708 506 506, residents can be fined if a waste carrier illegally dumps their waste.
Bedford Borough Council remains committed to providing convenient waste disposal options for its residents and maintaining a sustainable environment. The Council will be issuing Fixed Penalty Notices for every person found leaving rubbish where it should not be left. Residents can help keep their communities looking their best by reporting any illegally dumped waste at www.bedford.gov.uk/ReportIt.
For further information or assistance with waste and recycling in Bedford Borough, residents can visit www.bedford.gov.uk/bins-and-recycling/household-bins-and-recycling.