Waste collections across Cynon and Taf will shortly be standardised alongside those that have been in place across the Rhondda for over 30 years.
In a bid to increase recycling rates to meet the Welsh Governments 70% target by 2024/25 and to remove bins off footways between collections, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council will only collect black bags from the kerbside, starting from Monday 30th September.
This means that residents will need to place their general waste out for collection in a maximum of THREE standard size (up to approximately 70L) Black Bags ONLY (as per current allowance), EVERY THREE WEEKS starting from week commencing MONDAY 30th SEPTEMBER 2024.
Residents can keep and use their wheelie bin for storage until collection, but on collection day, only black bags should be presented at the normal collection point, on the same collection day, time, which is usually at the kerbside.
Following the change to three-weekly collections in July 2023 it had become clear that there is a significant difference between those areas where wheeled bins are collected (Cynon and Taf) and those where black bags are collected directly from the kerbside (Rhondda) – with Rhondda residents recycling over 20% more* and putting out around 30% less* black bag waste.
The standardisation will now ensure that:
- Recycling rates improve across the whole of RCT, so that we hit the 70% Welsh Government Target and avoid substantial fines.
- The Council can use its waste collection fleet more efficiently by having standardised vehicles across RCT, including the use of other smaller vehicles to collect black bags if larger collection lorries are not able to access a street due to parked cars.
- Residents and visitors will benefit from an improved streetscape, by removing the bins as obstructions in between collection dates from pavements.
- Residents will not have to wheel or carry wheelie bins through their homes or up and down garden steps.
- There are reduced costs by having a standardised collection fleet across RCT
- There is an improved efficiency of waste collections services for our residents.
ALL recycling collections, including food waste, green waste* and purple bags will continue to be collected weekly and the Council is urging residents to use all of these weekly services to ensure that they are recycling as much as they can and to reduce the amount of black bag waste that is created. Over 80% of all household waste should be collected weekly if recycled.
Director of Highways, Streetcare and Transportation Services, said:
“The standardisation of waste collections for all residents of Rhondda Cynon Taf, will ensure that ALL residents have the same waste limits and removes the discrepancy that many residents felt unfairly advantaged or disadvantaged by over the years.
The introduction of Black Bag Collections across the County Borough will come with a range of potential benefits, including an improved streetscape with less obstructions to the footway between collection dates, increased recycling rates and a more efficient waste service along with improved utilisation of the waste fleet and less impact on residents that have no option at present other than to bring their bins through their properties or up and down garden steps, etc., as bins should not be kept on the footway 24/7.
It is estimated that less than 20% of household waste should be placed into your black bags – these are non-recyclable items and include coal ash, animal waste, plastic film, tissues, foil,etc"
More information on Standardisation of Waste Collections – Bins to bags, can be found at - www.rctcbc.gov.uk/BinstoBagsCollections.
Posted on 27/09/2024