Wheeled bin and the recycling & refuse service

Ribble Valley Borough Council has received government funding to improve the waste and recycling service in the Ribble Valley.

You can now put uncooked food waste with your garden waste in to your green bin for recycling.

New green bins

To help you to recycle this extra waste we are providing larger green bins (240 litre) for households with a garden to replace their current 140 litre green bin.

The dimensions of the new large bins are:

Height - 1100mm, Width - 590mm, Depth - 740mm.

When will I recieve my new green bin?

The delivery of the new green bins will take place in summer 2013. Specific delivery dates will be provided nearer the time and you will be given two weeks notice.

We will collect and clean the small 140 litre green wheeled bins. They will be re-distributed to homes without a garden that currently have only a blue and burgundy wheeled bin.

Households that currently have shared communal green bins or that use lilac sacks will not be affected by the changes to the green bins.

Opting out of the scheme

If you do not require a larger green bin, or if you do not wish to be provided with a green wheeled bin for food waste you must opt out of the scheme by filling in the Green Bin Replacement Scheme opt out form or returning the tear-off slip from your waste and recycling calendar, or phoning 01200 425111.

What goes in a green bin?

You can now put the following items in your green bin for recycling:

• grass and hedge cuttings
• leaves and prunings
• weeds and flowers
• Christmas trees
• straw and sawdust
• paper towels and tissues which have not touched raw meat
  
• egg shells
• vegetable peelings
• coffee grounds and tea bags
• seeds and apple cores

Material should not be condensed and squashed into your bins as it may damage the body of the bin.

The following items should not be put in your green bin as they can not be recycled:

• cooked food
• bones
  
• large branches
• soil
• stones
• anything that will not rot

The items above can be taken to your local tip, also known as a household waste and recycling centre (HWRC).

The opening hours at all HWRC's are:

8.00am - 7.00pm 1 March - 31 October
9.00am - 6.00pm 1 November - 28/29 February

Is there a charge for the new bin?

No, providing the 240 litre bin in exchange for the existing 140 litre green bin is entirely free. As is providing 140 litre green bins to properties without gardens who already have a burgundy and blue bin.

Must my bin be empty for exchange?

Yes, we will be unable to exchange bins with material inside them. You will be given approximately two weeks notice of the date of exchange. During the waiting period you can put your green waste in the burgundy bin or if possible hold it back in your garden until your new bin arrives.

When will my bin be exchanged?

You will receive a letter approximately two weeks before the exchange giving you the date that your green bin will be changed over. Please make sure your bin is empty and left out for collection.

Do I have to put out my 140 litre bin to receive the new 240 litre bin?

Yes, this is a bin exchange and the new 240 litre bin can only be provided in exchange for your 140 litre bin.

Will the bins be 'chipped'?

Yes, like the majority of our bins each new bin will contain an identity chip. The identity chip contains the allocated address of the bin which is used if it is lost or found elsewhere.

Will the 240 litre bin be too heavy to move if filled with green waste?

Not if the bin is used correctly. Never put too much waste into the bin so that it becomes too heavy for you to safely move.

Only use the bin to recycle acceptable materials and never force or compact waste in to it or our refuse collection team may not be able to empty it.

Make sure your bin is emptied regularly.

Can I have two 140 litre bins instead of one 240 litre bin?

No, we can only provide one 140 litre green bin or one 240 litre green bin to each property.

Can I use the larger green bin for my recyclable bottles and cans instead of my blue 140 litre bin?

No, the larger 240 litre green bin is only for green garden waste and uncooked food waste. If other materials are put in the green bin it will not be emptied.

If I accept the large 240 litre green bin but later decided it is too large, can I exchange it back for the 140 litre green bin?

Yes, but the exchange may not take place until four weeks after the delivery of the large bin. There is no charge to exchange the bin back but it must be empty for exchange.