Proposed Waste Collection Changes 2024

Engagement closed

For full details about these proposals go to: https://www.thurrock.gov.uk/budget2024

During the year from 1 April 2024, we are proposing to introduce the following arrangements. We understand that changes can bring questions and maybe a bit of concern. We're here to support and guide you through this transition, ensuring Thurrock remains a great place to live.

Bin	Waste	Collection
Green/grey bin	Non-recyclable waste	Collected on alternate weeks
Blue bin	Recyclable waste	Collected on alternate weeks
Brown bin	Garden waste	An optional service at a charge of £80 per year for collections on alternate weeks
Food bin	Food waste	Collected once a week from new smaller food bins that we'll provide to all households

We're also proposing to change our collection rounds to make them more efficient. This means during the year from April 2024 your regular bin collections may be on a different day of the week.

We will collect green/grey bins one week, blue bins the next, and so on, alternating every 2 weeks throughout the year.

For full details about these proposals go to: https://www.thurrock.gov.uk/budget2024

Bin	Waste	Collection
Green/grey bin	Non-recyclable waste	Collected on alternate weeks
Blue bin	Recyclable waste	Collected on alternate weeks
Brown bin	Garden waste	An optional service at a charge of £80 per year for collections on alternate weeks
Food bin	Food waste	Collected once a week from new smaller food bins that we'll provide to all households

We're also proposing to change our collection rounds to make them more efficient. This means during the year from April 2024 your regular bin collections may be on a different day of the week.

We will collect green/grey bins one week, blue bins the next, and so on, alternating every 2 weeks throughout the year.

Questions

Engagement closed

If you have a question that has not been answered in the FAQs about the proposed waste collection changes please submit it here.

Share How can you charge for a service (brown bin collection) and refuse to refund if you don’t pick up? Also what will the process for reporting a missed bin collection? Where would be the line of responsibility? At present you do not make it possible to report one bin in a road not being collected, your stock response is, the householder didn’t put it out so we won’t come back. on Facebook Share How can you charge for a service (brown bin collection) and refuse to refund if you don’t pick up? Also what will the process for reporting a missed bin collection? Where would be the line of responsibility? At present you do not make it possible to report one bin in a road not being collected, your stock response is, the householder didn’t put it out so we won’t come back. on Twitter Share How can you charge for a service (brown bin collection) and refuse to refund if you don’t pick up? Also what will the process for reporting a missed bin collection? Where would be the line of responsibility? At present you do not make it possible to report one bin in a road not being collected, your stock response is, the householder didn’t put it out so we won’t come back. on Linkedin Email How can you charge for a service (brown bin collection) and refuse to refund if you don’t pick up? Also what will the process for reporting a missed bin collection? Where would be the line of responsibility? At present you do not make it possible to report one bin in a road not being collected, your stock response is, the householder didn’t put it out so we won’t come back. link

How can you charge for a service (brown bin collection) and refuse to refund if you don’t pick up? Also what will the process for reporting a missed bin collection? Where would be the line of responsibility? At present you do not make it possible to report one bin in a road not being collected, your stock response is, the householder didn’t put it out so we won’t come back.

75CC asked 4 months ago

Under current legislation and the latest guidance from government, the Council are allowed to charge for the collection of garden waste which is an additional collection service provided by the Council. Many Councils already charge for this service and have done so for some time. From the 8^th of April 2024 the Council have developed new functionality and introduced new processes to allow residents to report a missed collection, which if deemed as a valid missed collection will result in the Council collecting a missed collection within two working days of it being reported. This is part of our continuous improvement plan, to improve the services we provide you.
Share Can we put biogradable bags into the new kerbside food bins Efar on Facebook Share Can we put biogradable bags into the new kerbside food bins Efar on Twitter Share Can we put biogradable bags into the new kerbside food bins Efar on Linkedin Email Can we put biogradable bags into the new kerbside food bins Efar link

Can we put biogradable bags into the new kerbside food bins Efar

Efar asked 5 months ago

Currently we only accept compostable or paper liners for the kerbside food caddy.
Share If I help keep a public area (car park) clear of leaves and weeds, will you collect this rubbish? on Facebook Share If I help keep a public area (car park) clear of leaves and weeds, will you collect this rubbish? on Twitter Share If I help keep a public area (car park) clear of leaves and weeds, will you collect this rubbish? on Linkedin Email If I help keep a public area (car park) clear of leaves and weeds, will you collect this rubbish? link

If I help keep a public area (car park) clear of leaves and weeds, will you collect this rubbish?

Esther asked 5 months ago

We would not be able to provide a bespoke regular collection service for things like this due to the complexities involved. However, we support groups in Thurrock who want to take part in a community clean-up to help clear streets and parks. More information about organising a community clean-up can be found here: https://www.thurrock.gov.uk/community-clean-ups/organise-community-clean-up Litter pickers and refuse sacks are also available to hire free of charge from all Thurrock libraries.
Share I begrudge paying £80.00 for an annual subscription for my brown bin when you propose to not even collect it for the entire duration. Castlepoint only charge £36.00 a year for their service and it is collected each week with no winter suspension. Is there no way this cost could be reduced to make it more bearable? Your collection rates on our addresses bins is very hit and miss anyway especially the brown bin. Can you guarantee it will be collected when it is supposed to be now i will have to pay? Will you offer money back if you fail to carry out your obligations? With regards to the food bins can you please ensure the bin men return them to properties? We live on a main road are on several school routes and bins are left in laybys or 8 houses away! They are rarely returned from where they were collected from. I can see these food caddies kicked into the road or up the street never to be seen again. I'm not against them as I think it it is a good idea but I will not be happy to be charged a small fortune for a new one because your staff refuse to return them safely from where collected. We have to pay for these bins so clean and maintain them. Please can use ensure your staff respect that? We have already have a broken recycling bin which you refuse to replace unless I pay, but I didn't break it your staff dropped it from the lorry and kicked it up my drive! If they treat wheelie bins like that the food caddies will not last. Or is this what you are hoping? They break them we have to pay for a new one and you increase your revenue? on Facebook Share I begrudge paying £80.00 for an annual subscription for my brown bin when you propose to not even collect it for the entire duration. Castlepoint only charge £36.00 a year for their service and it is collected each week with no winter suspension. Is there no way this cost could be reduced to make it more bearable? Your collection rates on our addresses bins is very hit and miss anyway especially the brown bin. Can you guarantee it will be collected when it is supposed to be now i will have to pay? Will you offer money back if you fail to carry out your obligations? With regards to the food bins can you please ensure the bin men return them to properties? We live on a main road are on several school routes and bins are left in laybys or 8 houses away! They are rarely returned from where they were collected from. I can see these food caddies kicked into the road or up the street never to be seen again. I'm not against them as I think it it is a good idea but I will not be happy to be charged a small fortune for a new one because your staff refuse to return them safely from where collected. We have to pay for these bins so clean and maintain them. Please can use ensure your staff respect that? We have already have a broken recycling bin which you refuse to replace unless I pay, but I didn't break it your staff dropped it from the lorry and kicked it up my drive! If they treat wheelie bins like that the food caddies will not last. Or is this what you are hoping? They break them we have to pay for a new one and you increase your revenue? on Twitter Share I begrudge paying £80.00 for an annual subscription for my brown bin when you propose to not even collect it for the entire duration. Castlepoint only charge £36.00 a year for their service and it is collected each week with no winter suspension. Is there no way this cost could be reduced to make it more bearable? Your collection rates on our addresses bins is very hit and miss anyway especially the brown bin. Can you guarantee it will be collected when it is supposed to be now i will have to pay? Will you offer money back if you fail to carry out your obligations? With regards to the food bins can you please ensure the bin men return them to properties? We live on a main road are on several school routes and bins are left in laybys or 8 houses away! They are rarely returned from where they were collected from. I can see these food caddies kicked into the road or up the street never to be seen again. I'm not against them as I think it it is a good idea but I will not be happy to be charged a small fortune for a new one because your staff refuse to return them safely from where collected. We have to pay for these bins so clean and maintain them. Please can use ensure your staff respect that? We have already have a broken recycling bin which you refuse to replace unless I pay, but I didn't break it your staff dropped it from the lorry and kicked it up my drive! If they treat wheelie bins like that the food caddies will not last. Or is this what you are hoping? They break them we have to pay for a new one and you increase your revenue? on Linkedin Email I begrudge paying £80.00 for an annual subscription for my brown bin when you propose to not even collect it for the entire duration. Castlepoint only charge £36.00 a year for their service and it is collected each week with no winter suspension. Is there no way this cost could be reduced to make it more bearable? Your collection rates on our addresses bins is very hit and miss anyway especially the brown bin. Can you guarantee it will be collected when it is supposed to be now i will have to pay? Will you offer money back if you fail to carry out your obligations? With regards to the food bins can you please ensure the bin men return them to properties? We live on a main road are on several school routes and bins are left in laybys or 8 houses away! They are rarely returned from where they were collected from. I can see these food caddies kicked into the road or up the street never to be seen again. I'm not against them as I think it it is a good idea but I will not be happy to be charged a small fortune for a new one because your staff refuse to return them safely from where collected. We have to pay for these bins so clean and maintain them. Please can use ensure your staff respect that? We have already have a broken recycling bin which you refuse to replace unless I pay, but I didn't break it your staff dropped it from the lorry and kicked it up my drive! If they treat wheelie bins like that the food caddies will not last. Or is this what you are hoping? They break them we have to pay for a new one and you increase your revenue? link

I begrudge paying £80.00 for an annual subscription for my brown bin when you propose to not even collect it for the entire duration. Castlepoint only charge £36.00 a year for their service and it is collected each week with no winter suspension. Is there no way this cost could be reduced to make it more bearable? Your collection rates on our addresses bins is very hit and miss anyway especially the brown bin. Can you guarantee it will be collected when it is supposed to be now i will have to pay? Will you offer money back if you fail to carry out your obligations? With regards to the food bins can you please ensure the bin men return them to properties? We live on a main road are on several school routes and bins are left in laybys or 8 houses away! They are rarely returned from where they were collected from. I can see these food caddies kicked into the road or up the street never to be seen again. I'm not against them as I think it it is a good idea but I will not be happy to be charged a small fortune for a new one because your staff refuse to return them safely from where collected. We have to pay for these bins so clean and maintain them. Please can use ensure your staff respect that? We have already have a broken recycling bin which you refuse to replace unless I pay, but I didn't break it your staff dropped it from the lorry and kicked it up my drive! If they treat wheelie bins like that the food caddies will not last. Or is this what you are hoping? They break them we have to pay for a new one and you increase your revenue?

AMears asked 5 months ago
Most other councils in England charge for the garden waste collection service and, with a large budget gap to fill, sadly we can no longer continue to offer it free of charge. We know lots of residents value the garden waste service, so we want to keep on providing it. But we think it’s fairer to offer a paid for service for those who want it, rather than add it onto the Council Tax for everyone to pay whether they use it or not.
1. The subscription cost has been approved by the council members and was the result of a market survey.
2. If the Council misses a collection when a bin has been presented correctly, the Council, on notification, will endeavour to return to empty the container within two working days of notification. The Council will not issue refunds for missed collections
3. The waste team are currently conducting a pilot for food waste collection and residents involved can provide feedback on “Have my say”. It would be very helpful if you could provide further specific information on incorrectly returned food caddies so this can be investigated further.
Share if a household generates more waste, why should they have to wait for two weeks to empty their bins especially if they have additional waste in bags. The summer period is bad enough with the smell and flies, do you want to add health issues to all people are facing? I believe the general waste should continue to be emptied weekly on Facebook Share if a household generates more waste, why should they have to wait for two weeks to empty their bins especially if they have additional waste in bags. The summer period is bad enough with the smell and flies, do you want to add health issues to all people are facing? I believe the general waste should continue to be emptied weekly on Twitter Share if a household generates more waste, why should they have to wait for two weeks to empty their bins especially if they have additional waste in bags. The summer period is bad enough with the smell and flies, do you want to add health issues to all people are facing? I believe the general waste should continue to be emptied weekly on Linkedin Email if a household generates more waste, why should they have to wait for two weeks to empty their bins especially if they have additional waste in bags. The summer period is bad enough with the smell and flies, do you want to add health issues to all people are facing? I believe the general waste should continue to be emptied weekly link

if a household generates more waste, why should they have to wait for two weeks to empty their bins especially if they have additional waste in bags. The summer period is bad enough with the smell and flies, do you want to add health issues to all people are facing? I believe the general waste should continue to be emptied weekly

Funke Laosun asked 5 months ago

Moving to fortnightly refuse collections will help the council achieve its savings for 2024 and will result in fewer vehicles required to make collections, further reducing emissions as well as congestion of our roads. According to the BBC (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-47414500) most councils now collect refuse on an alternate weekly basis.
Later this year we will also be introducing a weekly food waste collection which will collect the waste likely to smell, although it is important to regularly clean food waste containers to reduce odours. Further information on ways to reduce food waste can be found here https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/
Share Why would you charge for garden waste when people can hardly afford to live. This is Extortion and it is very unfair. You just make decisions without thinking of the effect of people and the environment. Don't be surprised if everyone gets rid of greenery and lets see how that will affect the environment and people general health. We have paid Council tax for years and continue to pay it. This should cover all the watse collection. If you are struggling because of mismanagement, then give a better alternative like collection fortnightly or once a month and more frequently in the summer when the grass and shrubs grow more. on Facebook Share Why would you charge for garden waste when people can hardly afford to live. This is Extortion and it is very unfair. You just make decisions without thinking of the effect of people and the environment. Don't be surprised if everyone gets rid of greenery and lets see how that will affect the environment and people general health. We have paid Council tax for years and continue to pay it. This should cover all the watse collection. If you are struggling because of mismanagement, then give a better alternative like collection fortnightly or once a month and more frequently in the summer when the grass and shrubs grow more. on Twitter Share Why would you charge for garden waste when people can hardly afford to live. This is Extortion and it is very unfair. You just make decisions without thinking of the effect of people and the environment. Don't be surprised if everyone gets rid of greenery and lets see how that will affect the environment and people general health. We have paid Council tax for years and continue to pay it. This should cover all the watse collection. If you are struggling because of mismanagement, then give a better alternative like collection fortnightly or once a month and more frequently in the summer when the grass and shrubs grow more. on Linkedin Email Why would you charge for garden waste when people can hardly afford to live. This is Extortion and it is very unfair. You just make decisions without thinking of the effect of people and the environment. Don't be surprised if everyone gets rid of greenery and lets see how that will affect the environment and people general health. We have paid Council tax for years and continue to pay it. This should cover all the watse collection. If you are struggling because of mismanagement, then give a better alternative like collection fortnightly or once a month and more frequently in the summer when the grass and shrubs grow more. link

Why would you charge for garden waste when people can hardly afford to live. This is Extortion and it is very unfair. You just make decisions without thinking of the effect of people and the environment. Don't be surprised if everyone gets rid of greenery and lets see how that will affect the environment and people general health. We have paid Council tax for years and continue to pay it. This should cover all the watse collection. If you are struggling because of mismanagement, then give a better alternative like collection fortnightly or once a month and more frequently in the summer when the grass and shrubs grow more.

Funke Laosun asked 5 months ago

Most other councils in England charge for this service and, with a large budget gap to fill, sadly we can no longer continue to offer it free of charge. We know lots of residents value the garden waste service, so we want to keep on providing it. But we think it’s fairer to offer a paid for service for those who want it, rather than add it onto the Council Tax for everyone to pay whether they use it or not. Alternatively, you can continue to take your garden waste to the Household Waste Recycling Centre for free.
Share Not everybody wants a food waste bin? Why introduce this now only to take away what was previously in place and then charge us for basic necessities requirement of living a decent life. on Facebook Share Not everybody wants a food waste bin? Why introduce this now only to take away what was previously in place and then charge us for basic necessities requirement of living a decent life. on Twitter Share Not everybody wants a food waste bin? Why introduce this now only to take away what was previously in place and then charge us for basic necessities requirement of living a decent life. on Linkedin Email Not everybody wants a food waste bin? Why introduce this now only to take away what was previously in place and then charge us for basic necessities requirement of living a decent life. link

Not everybody wants a food waste bin? Why introduce this now only to take away what was previously in place and then charge us for basic necessities requirement of living a decent life.

Funke Laosun asked 5 months ago

The Environment Act makes it mandatory for the council to provide a weekly food waste collection service from March 2025. Food waste is considerably cheaper to process when separately collected than it is to treat it as part of residual waste stream and also reduces greenhouse gas emissions relating to food decomposition. Later this year we are planning events to help raise the profile of food waste.
Share Keep Blue Bins be on Weekly Collection, You want Residents to Recycle, but with you only Collecting Fortnightly most Blue Bins are overflowing each week as it is, and blowing round the Boroughs Streets. on Facebook Share Keep Blue Bins be on Weekly Collection, You want Residents to Recycle, but with you only Collecting Fortnightly most Blue Bins are overflowing each week as it is, and blowing round the Boroughs Streets. on Twitter Share Keep Blue Bins be on Weekly Collection, You want Residents to Recycle, but with you only Collecting Fortnightly most Blue Bins are overflowing each week as it is, and blowing round the Boroughs Streets. on Linkedin Email Keep Blue Bins be on Weekly Collection, You want Residents to Recycle, but with you only Collecting Fortnightly most Blue Bins are overflowing each week as it is, and blowing round the Boroughs Streets. link

Keep Blue Bins be on Weekly Collection, You want Residents to Recycle, but with you only Collecting Fortnightly most Blue Bins are overflowing each week as it is, and blowing round the Boroughs Streets.

Keith Harington asked 5 months ago

Moving to fortnightly refuse collections will help the council achieve its savings for 2024 and will result in fewer vehicles required to make collections, further reducing emissions as well as congestion of our roads. The collection teams will take extra recycling if its placed next to the recycling bin and can be identified as recycling. More information can be found on the councils website. Additionally, residents are able to purchase additional recycling bins from https://www.thurrock.gov.uk/household-waste-and-recycling/request-new-bin. Further information about what materials can go into each bin can be found from https://www.thurrock.gov.uk/household-waste-and-recycling/what-goes-in-your-bins
Share Unfortunately it is not unusual for collections to be missed. As we are to pay for garden waste will we be reimbursed if collections are missed? on Facebook Share Unfortunately it is not unusual for collections to be missed. As we are to pay for garden waste will we be reimbursed if collections are missed? on Twitter Share Unfortunately it is not unusual for collections to be missed. As we are to pay for garden waste will we be reimbursed if collections are missed? on Linkedin Email Unfortunately it is not unusual for collections to be missed. As we are to pay for garden waste will we be reimbursed if collections are missed? link

Unfortunately it is not unusual for collections to be missed. As we are to pay for garden waste will we be reimbursed if collections are missed?

Eric sloman asked 5 months ago

If the Council misses a collection when a bin has been presented correctly, the Council, on notification, will endeavour to return to empty the container within two working days of notification. The Council will not issue refunds for missed collections.
Share Retaining an alternative week recycling collection doesn’t help to improve recycling. It would be better to swap non-recycling collection to alternate week and weekly e re cycling collection. on Facebook Share Retaining an alternative week recycling collection doesn’t help to improve recycling. It would be better to swap non-recycling collection to alternate week and weekly e re cycling collection. on Twitter Share Retaining an alternative week recycling collection doesn’t help to improve recycling. It would be better to swap non-recycling collection to alternate week and weekly e re cycling collection. on Linkedin Email Retaining an alternative week recycling collection doesn’t help to improve recycling. It would be better to swap non-recycling collection to alternate week and weekly e re cycling collection. link

Retaining an alternative week recycling collection doesn’t help to improve recycling. It would be better to swap non-recycling collection to alternate week and weekly e re cycling collection.

alysonh1815 asked 5 months ago

Moving to an alternative week collection scheme for recycling and refuse will help the council deliver the savings required for 2024/2025.

Proposed Waste Collection Changes 2024

Can we put biogradable bags into the new kerbside food bins Efar

If I help keep a public area (car park) clear of leaves and weeds, will you collect this rubbish?

The subscription cost has been approved by the council members and was the result of a market survey.

If the Council misses a collection when a bin has been presented correctly, the Council, on notification, will endeavour to return to empty the container within two working days of notification. The Council will not issue refunds for missed collections

The waste team are currently conducting a pilot for food waste collection and residents involved can provide feedback on “Have my say”. It would be very helpful if you could provide further specific information on incorrectly returned food caddies so this can be investigated further.

Not everybody wants a food waste bin? Why introduce this now only to take away what was previously in place and then charge us for basic necessities requirement of living a decent life.

Keep Blue Bins be on Weekly Collection, You want Residents to Recycle, but with you only Collecting Fortnightly most Blue Bins are overflowing each week as it is, and blowing round the Boroughs Streets.

Unfortunately it is not unusual for collections to be missed. As we are to pay for garden waste will we be reimbursed if collections are missed?

Retaining an alternative week recycling collection doesn’t help to improve recycling. It would be better to swap non-recycling collection to alternate week and weekly e re cycling collection.

Signup Banner

FAQs