Advice on Recycling and Waste

Please always bear in mind the waste hierarchy - reduce, reuse, recycle - to ensure that as little as possible ends up in landfill.

For more information about how you can reduce and reuse your waste visit our Reducing and Reusing Your Waste page.

Help with Bin Collections

If you cannot physically manage to move your wheelie bin or recycling boxes then please contact us.

We will send out a Field Officer to visit. They will discuss your needs with you, and can arrange for assisted collections. These can be from your garden, doorstep or another place that suits you.

How to help us provide a good service

• Make sure your refuse and recycling is put out on the correct collection day. This helps prevent problems with your neighbours and passers-by. To check your collection day please see our Collection Days page.
• Make sure you only put accepted recyclable materials into your recycling containers. Containers may not be collected if they are considered to be contaminated. Visit our What Goes into Each Container page for full details.
• Recyclable items should be placed loose in the blue bin.
• Refuse collections begin early so please make sure your bags are out by 7am.
• Ensure your containers are presented in the correct location. This means where your property meets the publicly adopted highway/pavement or where your property meets the agreed private road.

Please remember not to...

• put needles and syringes in your refuse. Needles must be disposed of properly. See our Needles page for advice.
• put builders rubble or large bulky items out with your refuse collection. These items can damage the lorries. DIY waste can be taken to Redbridge Waste Recycling Centre.
• put hot ash in your refuse.
• put oils, paints, chemicals, batteries or other DIY or automotive waste in your dustbin. These materials can be taken to Redbridge.  
• dispose of household clinical waste in your wheelie bin, visit our Clinical Waste page for more information.

Maggots, pests and odours

Maggots only exist if flies have been allowed to have access to your rubbish. If flies settle on your food waste they may lay eggs that will hatch into maggots. Do not worry if you do find maggots in your refuse. While unpleasant, they are not a direct threat to health.

The steps below are good practice for avoiding problems with pests and odours:

• Always store rubbish bags in a bin with the lid fully closed
• Ensure rubbish bags are tied tightly
• Store your rubbish out of direct sunlight
• Rinse out plastic bottles, cans, jars and tins before putting them into your recycling container
• Do not leave any food out in the kitchen; dispose of it as soon as possible to prevent flies laying eggs on the food waste
• Never leave any pet food uncovered
• If you dispose of pet faeces in your refuse, clear up regularly after your pet and place in a securely tied plastic bag before disposing of it in the main rubbish bag

Page last reviewed 21 March 2012