Recycling and reducing the amount we throw away helps the environment and saves us money.
Many of the small lifestyle changes we make in our homes and gardens can have a big impact.
Reducing waste
Top tips on reducing the amount of waste and recycling we put in our bins:
- Buy items with less packaging, for example buy fruit and vegetables loose or choose refillable options for soaps or detergents.
- Choose items that can be reused, such as canvas shopping bags or rechargeable batteries.
- Stop unwanted junk mail via the Mail Preference Service.
You can donate larger items such as furniture or small electrical items to local reuse organisations such as:
You can also give items away using websites such as Bedford Freegle or Freecycle.
Old clothing can be donated to charity for resale, many charities will also accept old worn out clothes for recycling. Please do not place textiles into your orange lidded recycling bin.
Home composting: reduce waste and improve your garden
Home composting is a simple and effective way to reduce the amount of waste going into your black-lidded general waste bin. By turning your food and garden waste into nutrient-rich compost, you’re helping the environment and giving your garden a natural boost.
Getting started
All you need is a place to collect your food and garden waste. A compost bin works best, but you can also build your own using wood, wire mesh, or old pallets. Choose a shady spot on bare soil for the best results.
What to compost
You can compost a wide variety of organic materials, including:
- vegetable peelings and fruit scraps
- coffee grounds and tea bags
- garden waste like weeds, grass clippings, and leaves
- cardboard items like egg boxes
- clean, shredded paper
Adding a mix of materials helps introduce air, which speeds up the composting process.
When is it ready?
Composting usually takes 9 to 12 months. When your compost is dark brown, crumbly, and soil-like, it’s ready to use in your garden.
More information on composting at home
For more tips on how to compost at home, visit Recycle Now.
Special offer for Bedford Borough residents
Bedford Borough Council subsidises the delivery cost on any order placed by a resident which includes any qualifying composter or water butt from GetComposting. This only applies to one order per household per financial year.
Save money with real nappies
Over 3 billion disposable nappies are thrown away every year in the UK costing councils over £40 million. They take hundreds of years to degrade in landfill.
Real nappies are an environmentally conscious alternative; made of natural cotton, they enable you to wash and reuse nappies again and again.
They will save you money compared to using disposable nappies, up to £500 from birth to potty training.
We offer a £25 cash back scheme for purchases of reusable washable nappies, covers or training pants, or laundry services of over £50.
Simply complete our Real nappies cash back form (PDF) and send to the address provided along with the requested documentation.
If you are considering making the switch to cloth but aren’t sure where to start, then you can now hire some from the Bedfordshire Real Nappy Library and give real nappies a try. Email Bedfordshire Real Nappy Library.
Love Food Hate Waste
We support Love Food Hate Waste, a national campaign which helps save you money and protects the environment by reducing the amount of food which is thrown away.
Visit the Love Food Hate Waste website for advice on reducing food waste, recipe ideas and news.
Recycling
For information on what can be recycled in your orange lidded bin visit the What goes in each bin page.
See also our Household Waste Recycling Centre for which materials are accepted for recycling at Bedford Borough’s "tidy tip", and in our smaller recycling sites.
Recyclenow explains what happens to your recycling and has tips and advice on reducing waste in the home.