Recycling collections being reintroduced by East Dunbartonshire Council

This will be over the next six weeks, starting with brown bins w/c TUES 21 Apr & w/c TUES 28 Apr.

Residents are advised to put their brown bin only out on its usual recycling day from the evening of Mon 20 April ahead of first collection on Tues 21 April.

Full details at the end of this article.

Joint council leaders Councillors Andrew Polson (Conservative) and Vaughan Moody (Lib Dem) told the Herald they have been in constant contact with council officers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Councillor Polson said: “Our staff are going far and beyond the call of duty in many circumstances, and our residents have also understood this and have been fantastic in rallying to the call.”

“All of last week we were determined to find a working solution to our waste collection whilst not putting our operatives at risk.

“The Trade Union officials, council management and Administration leadership have worked round the clock over the last few days to make sure we can get the recycling up and running again and I’m pleased that from Tuesday of this week this will restart.”

Details from the council website:

“Changes to Waste services as a result of Covid-19

Reintroduction of Recycling Collections

We have reviewed our current arrangements for waste collections, and are now in a position to reintroduce recycling collections, in a phased approach over the next six weeks.

Our waste and recycling collections operate on a fortnightly cycle, beginning on a Tuesday, and we will begin by collecting the brown bins that collect glass, cans and plastic in the first fortnight, blue bins that collect paper and card in the second fortnight and both blue and brown bins in the third fortnightly cycle, as follows.

To be clear, our collection week begins on a Tuesday and the first bins to be presented for this reintroduction should be those due to be presented on Monday night, 20 April for the Tuesday morning 21 April collection.

Fortnight 1. (Week beginning Tuesday 21 April and Week beginning Tuesday 28 April)

Residents who were due to have their recycling collected week beginning Tuesday 21 April should put their brown bin out on their usual recycling collection day this week.

Residents who were due to have their recycling collected week beginning Tuesday 28 April should put their brown bin out on their usual recycling collection day this week.

Fortnight 2. (Week beginning Tuesday 5 May and Week beginning Tuesday 12 May)

Residents who were due to have their recycling collected week beginning Tuesday 5 May should put their blue bin out on their usual recycling collection day this week.

Residents who were due to have their recycling collected week beginning Tuesday 12 May should put their blue bin out on their usual recycling collection day this week.

Fortnight 3. (Week beginning Tuesday 19 May and Week beginning Tuesday 25 May)

Residents who were due to have their recycling collected week beginning Tuesday 19 May should put both their brown bin and their blue bin out on their usual recycling collection day this week.

Residents who were due to have their recycling collected week beginning Tuesday 25 May should put both their brown bin and their blue bin out on their usual recycling collection day this week.

The service for collecting grey bins for residual waste will remain unchanged and continue to be collected fortnightly, alternating with the recycling collections.

Please continue to follow our guidance on reducing, compacting and storing waste between collections.

We would like to thank you once again for your co-operation and understanding in these challenging times as we reintroduce our recycling collections in a phased manner, ensuring that our workforce follow guidelines on health and safety and social distancing.

Other Waste Service Impacts

As a result of the current Government guidance in relation to stay at home and social distancing, the following changes to waste services continue to apply:

Residential general waste collections (grey bins) will continue based on the current uplift arrangements

It is recommended that residents dispose of food waste in their general waste (grey) bin

Commercial residual waste will continue based on the current arrangements

Mavis Valley Recycling Centre will remain closed

Please note that whilst we are mindful of concerns about changes to our waste collections, our priority remains the health and wellbeing of our frontline staff.

Guidance on Waste

Fortnightly grey bin collections will continue as scheduled for the time being. Please leave bins on the pavement from 7am on your normal collection day. To maximise space, you could consider the following.

Do not place recycling in your grey bin so as not to reduce the capacity for general waste

Ensure that waste is compacted to utilise available space.

Consider storing your excess dry paper, cardboard and washed plastic and glass recycling in bags in a shed, garage or available bin stores until normal service resumes.

Wrap food waste in newspaper or plastic bags before putting into your grey bin. Ensure the lid is fully closed to minimise smells and any flies being able to get in.

Opt for items with reduced packaging.

If possible, start a compost heap for garden waste.

Green bins could also be used to store excess bagged paper or glass recycling

Covid-19 Waste: Help protect our frontline staff and #StopTheSpread.

If someone in your household has symptoms of coronavirus (COVID 19) you can securely store personal waste including used tissues and disposable cleaning cloths within disposable rubbish bags. These should be:

placed into another bag

tied securely

kept separate from other waste

put aside for at least 72 hours before being put in your general waste bin

Please check NHS Inform for up to date advice.

We appreciate your understanding during these extremely challenging times as we seek to balance the maintenance of essential services with the need to protect our employees and meet government and NHS guidelines on social distancing.”

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