Bin system explained

12:36pm Wednesday 3rd September 2008

Comments (2)   Have your say »

Are you confused about waste collection in your area? Greenwich and Lewisham Councils have colour-coded bin schemes where waste is divided to make recycling easier. NEWS SHOPPER looks at what you can and can't recycle in each borough.

GREENWICH

There are three different coloured bins which residents should use for the following waste: Green top bins: Food and garden waste.

You CAN put in: Meat, fish and bones, fruit and vegetables, rice, pasta and bread, leaves, weeds, plants and flowers.

You CANNOT put in: Food packaging, large branches, plastic plant pots, polystyrene packaging, pet waste and cat litter, disposable nappies, plastic bags.

Blue top bins: Mixed dry recycling.

You CAN put in: Drink and food cans, foil, paper and cardboard, empty aerosol cans, drinks bottles, food jars and bottles, directories and catalogues, plastic bottles, supermarket carrier bags, food packaging.

You CANNOT put in: Wire coat hangers, waxed food and beverage cartons, polystyrene and plastic toys, plastic garden furniture, batteries and electrical appliances.

Black sacks: all other waste.

You CAN put in: Polystyrene, disposable nappies, clothing and shoes, waxed food and beverage cartons, batteries and electrical waste, pet waste and cat litter, vacuum cleaner waste, sanitary towels and incontinence pads, coal and wood embers, cotton wool pads/buds and make-up wipes, cigarette ends and ashtray contents, coat hangers, broken crockery.

Greenwich collections:

Food and garden waste collected weekly.

Mixed dry recycling collected weekly.

All other waste collected fortnightly.

Black sacks should be placed beside your bins before 6am on collection day.

For information about your collection day, call 020 8921 4661.

A spokesman for Greenwich Council said: "The council will continue working to improve and modify the service to reflect some of the feedback we have had.

"A key change is giving residents the opportunity to have a black bin instead of black bags to collect non-recyclable rubbish which we will be offering in the first part of 2009."

LEWISHAM

There are three different coloured bins which residents should use for the following waste: Green bins: recycling.

You CAN put in: Paper and cardboard, glass bottles and jars, tins and cans, plastic bottles.

You CANNOT put in: Broken glass and ceramics, fruit juice and milk cartons, ready-made meal packs, batteries, mobile phones and ink cartridges.

Grey bins: non-recyclable waste.

You CAN put in: Any items which cannot be recycled or composted, except for large items.

Brown bins: garden waste.

You CAN put in: Flowers, plants, grass cuttings, small branches and leaves.

Last year, residents in nine areas across the borough were chosen to test-run the brown bin aimed at increasing composting across Lewisham.

The results of the trial, which ended in October, showed a participation rate of 51 per cent with an average of 3kg per household per week of garden waste being collected.

The council is now considering a range of waste management solutions, including options for garden waste.

Lewisham collections:

Household rubbish is collected weekly.

Recycling boxes are emptied weekly on the same day as other rubbish.

Recycling should be left out for collection by 7am.

To report a missed collection call 020 8314 7171.

Councillor Susan Wise, cabinet member for customer services, said: "The council remains committed to weekly collections of domestic waste.

"We know this is of prime importance to residents."