Future changes to recycling and bin collections
Tell us what you think
Proposed changes 2021 - 2024
We are planning to make some changes to household bin collections over the next three years in order to increase recycling rates, cut our carbon footprint and provide a more cost-effective service.
Thanks to your fantastic efforts, we achieved Welsh Government’s statutory target of 64% in 2019/2020, but we now need to meet Welsh Government’s 70% recycling target by 2025, and in order to do this, we need to change the way we collect your waste.
On average, almost half (46%) of the contents of black bags are recyclable, so there is still a lot more we can do to reduce our waste.
At the moment, we provide weekly food waste collections, along with a fortnightly collection of blue recycling bags and black bags. Residents can also pay for a garden waste collection service between March and November.
Later this year, free fortnightly collections of nappies and other hygiene waste such as incontinence pads, bed pans etc. will be provided to residents that need it.
In 2022, we would like to start collecting:
- blue bags every week
- glass collections every three weeks
- black bags every three weeks – up to a maximum of three bags per collection (the same number we collect now).
- Food waste will continue to be collected weekly
- Paid for garden waste collections and fortnightly nappy/hygiene collections on request
In 2024, we are proposing to introduce:
- separate weekly collections of glass, paper, cardboard, cans and plastic, textiles and batteries and small household appliances.
- Black bags would remain on a three-weekly collection (up to three per household).
- Food waste will continue to be collected weekly
- Paid for garden waste collections and fortnightly nappy/hygiene collections on request
Proposed changes 2021 - 2024
We are planning to make some changes to household bin collections over the next three years in order to increase recycling rates, cut our carbon footprint and provide a more cost-effective service.
Thanks to your fantastic efforts, we achieved Welsh Government’s statutory target of 64% in 2019/2020, but we now need to meet Welsh Government’s 70% recycling target by 2025, and in order to do this, we need to change the way we collect your waste.
On average, almost half (46%) of the contents of black bags are recyclable, so there is still a lot more we can do to reduce our waste.
At the moment, we provide weekly food waste collections, along with a fortnightly collection of blue recycling bags and black bags. Residents can also pay for a garden waste collection service between March and November.
Later this year, free fortnightly collections of nappies and other hygiene waste such as incontinence pads, bed pans etc. will be provided to residents that need it.
In 2022, we would like to start collecting:
- blue bags every week
- glass collections every three weeks
- black bags every three weeks – up to a maximum of three bags per collection (the same number we collect now).
- Food waste will continue to be collected weekly
- Paid for garden waste collections and fortnightly nappy/hygiene collections on request
In 2024, we are proposing to introduce:
- separate weekly collections of glass, paper, cardboard, cans and plastic, textiles and batteries and small household appliances.
- Black bags would remain on a three-weekly collection (up to three per household).
- Food waste will continue to be collected weekly
- Paid for garden waste collections and fortnightly nappy/hygiene collections on request
Q & A
We have put together this section to provide further information on the proposed changes. We will continue to update this section based on your feedback and questions.
These proposed changes would help you to recycle more waste and reduce the number of black bags your household puts out for collection. The changes include the introduction of glass collections (three-weekly in 2022 and weekly in 2024) which would benefit households throughout the county.
The changes would also allow the council to collect the main recycling materials on a weekly basis, meaning less recycling for households to store and providing the opportunity for even more recycling to be collected.
If the proposals are agreed, households would need to separate their recycling from 2024. This increases the quality of the recycling collected and reduces contamination.
No – if the changes are introduced, we would provide more waste collections than ever; but there would be a different way of putting your waste/recycling out for collection. By 2024 most of your recycling would be placed into separate boxes for glass, paper, cardboard, cans and plastic, food, textiles and batteries and small household appliances.
Under the proposals for 2022, the majority of household recycling types will be collected on the same day. Garden waste and hygiene and nappy waste collections would be collected on different days as these are services which you need to sign up for. A collection programme for black bags and glass will be developed if the proposals are approved. In 2024, glass will be collected on the same day as your other recycling.
The increase in the number of materials being recycled and frequency of recycling collections should significantly reduce the volume of waste being placed in your black bag. Therefore, each household should have less to store.
All food waste should be placed in your green food bin, with recyclable packaging (once clean and dry) placed in your blue bag - both will be collected weekly. This should mean that there is very little to attract vermin to your black bags.
Separate hygiene and nappy waste collections will reduce black bag waste odours. Pet waste could also be double bagged if you are concerned.
You may wish to store black bags in a dustbin or wheeled bin, but please remove the bags from any wheeled bins when putting out for collection.
Dog waste picked up while out walking can be disposed of in any street litter bins.
Cat litter, dog or pet waste can also be placed into your black bag mixed with other domestic waste to be disposed of with your usual black bag collection. If you would prefer to dispose of this waste more frequently it can be taken to your local recycling centre.
The increase in the number of materials being recycled and frequency of recycling collections including the introduction of glass collections and nappy/hygiene and garden waste collections, the amount of waste placed in your black bag should significantly reduce.
The current exemption stickers which enable larger households to place additional black bags out for collection would be reviewed as a part of the new recycling strategy. We will inform residents of any changes.
Later this year, we will be introducing a free fortnightly nappy collection service. This will be a subscription service that households can sign up to. More details will be available soon.
By introducing weekly food waste and recycling collections, there should be enough room in your black bags for items that can’t be recycled.
Any additional waste can be taken to your local recycling centre. There is no excuse for fly-tipping and we believe that the vast majority of residents would not choose to blight their local area in this way. We must make changes in order to reduce our carbon emissions, increase recycling rates and provide a cost-effective service.
Items most commonly fly-tipped are bulky items or trade waste – neither of which are part of our recycling and waste collections.
Large household items can be taken to your recycling centre and we also provide a bulky waste collection which costs £25 for three items.
The proposals would require major changes to Carmarthenshire’s waste service and will take time to plan and implement.
You have told us during previous consultations that glass collections are needed as well as weekly recycling collections. If approved, we would like to implement these changes as soon as possible. However, in order to provide a more environmentally friendly, efficient and cost-effective service, other changes are required which will take longer to implement.
We are proposing that residents adopt the ‘self-sort’ method, using separate containers and sacks for different materials. This would mean that the recycling collected is less likely to be contaminated by other materials, so it can be more easily made into new products. By making these changes, we would also be able to increase the range of materials we collect and could introduce the collection of textiles, small electricals and batteries.
These changes would improve the council’s carbon footprint, help us to meet Welsh Government recycling targets and provide a more cost-effective service
The proposed changes to collect separated recycling would not be introduced until 2024.
If approved, the council would need vehicles with a range of compartments and our crews would place items into the right compartments as they do their rounds.
These changes would be introduced at the same time as our current recycling fleet reaches the end of its life.
This team effort between you and us to sort and collect your household items for recycling will improve the quality of the materials we collect for recycling, which is better for the environment and will help us to recycle more in the UK.
If you are unable to put your bags out for collection please contact us and we will be able to review your circumstances and discuss possible options with you.
The proposed changes to collect separated recycling would not be introduced until 2024.
Although placing all of your recycling into one bag is more convenient, this way of collecting recycling will not be possible in the future as we seek to produce higher grade recycling materials. As our recycling targets increase and the volume of recycling collected increases across the country, we are under more demand than ever to produce quality, un-contaminated recycling to ensure that it can be used to make new products.
By asking households to separate their items into different containers, as most other authorities do, contamination would be significantly reduced.
The proposed changes to blue bags would not be introduced until 2024.
As these changes have not been agreed, at this stage we cannot say what types of bags/boxes we will ask you to put your recycling in. If approved, we will research and source the most user-friendly methods for both crew and residents.
Yes – if introduced, we would ask that you stick to the three black bag limit placed on each household even if you usually place your waste in a communal area.
Welsh Government’s ‘Beyond Recycling’ waste strategy can be found on their website.
If proposals are agreed, in 2022 you will have an additional box for your glass collections. The recycling will go into the same blue bags as you are using now as well as the food waste bins. You will be able to put your blue bags out for collection every week so you will be able to get rid of your recycling waste more frequently, which in most cases is the bulk of waste generated from the home.
In 2024 there will be bags or boxes or a mixture of both, to put your recycling into. There are ways of storing all containers and more detail on hints and tips will be provided if the proposals are passed and when the container types are decided upon.
Yes, however, in areas where we provide communal collections, for example flats, we would work with residents, landlords and management companies on how best to apply the changes based on individual circumstances. Please be assured we would be in direct contact with residents before any changes are made.
These can be placed into a smaller nappy sack type bag if you prefer and then put into your black bag mixed with other household waste to be disposed of with your usual black bag collection. If you would prefer to dispose of this waste more frequently you can book an appointment and take it to your local recycling centre.
If the proposals are agreed, we will in fact be providing you with more household collection services than you get currently.
Now in a three-week period you receive the following collections:
- 2 x blue bag
- 3 x food waste
- 1 x black bag
- 2 x garden waste (if subscribed), 3 x hygiene (if required).
That is a possible 11 collections every three weeks.
Proposed changes for 2022
In 2022 you will receive:
- 3 x blue bag
- 3 x food waste
- 1 x glass
- 1x black bag
- 2 x garden waste (if subscribed)
- 2 x nappies and 2 x hygiene (if required).
That is a possible 14 collections every three weeks.
Proposed changes for 2024
In 2024 you will receive:
- 3 x cardboard, paper, cans, plastic
- 3 x glass with also potential for 3 x batteries, textiles and small electrical appliances
- 3 x food waste
- 1 x black bag
- 2 x garden waste (if subscribed)
- 2 x hygiene and 2 x nappy collections (if required).
That adds up to a possible 19 collections every three weeks.
Next Steps
A public consultation has been carried out. We are collating the results which will be available soon. Your feedback will also be passed on to the Cabinet to consider before a final decision is made on the future changes to recycling and waste collections.
Q & A
We have put together this section to provide further information on the proposed changes. We will continue to update this section based on your feedback and questions.
These proposed changes would help you to recycle more waste and reduce the number of black bags your household puts out for collection. The changes include the introduction of glass collections (three-weekly in 2022 and weekly in 2024) which would benefit households throughout the county.
The changes would also allow the council to collect the main recycling materials on a weekly basis, meaning less recycling for households to store and providing the opportunity for even more recycling to be collected.
If the proposals are agreed, households would need to separate their recycling from 2024. This increases the quality of the recycling collected and reduces contamination.
No – if the changes are introduced, we would provide more waste collections than ever; but there would be a different way of putting your waste/recycling out for collection. By 2024 most of your recycling would be placed into separate boxes for glass, paper, cardboard, cans and plastic, food, textiles and batteries and small household appliances.
Under the proposals for 2022, the majority of household recycling types will be collected on the same day. Garden waste and hygiene and nappy waste collections would be collected on different days as these are services which you need to sign up for. A collection programme for black bags and glass will be developed if the proposals are approved. In 2024, glass will be collected on the same day as your other recycling.
The increase in the number of materials being recycled and frequency of recycling collections should significantly reduce the volume of waste being placed in your black bag. Therefore, each household should have less to store.
All food waste should be placed in your green food bin, with recyclable packaging (once clean and dry) placed in your blue bag - both will be collected weekly. This should mean that there is very little to attract vermin to your black bags.
Separate hygiene and nappy waste collections will reduce black bag waste odours. Pet waste could also be double bagged if you are concerned.
You may wish to store black bags in a dustbin or wheeled bin, but please remove the bags from any wheeled bins when putting out for collection.
Dog waste picked up while out walking can be disposed of in any street litter bins.
Cat litter, dog or pet waste can also be placed into your black bag mixed with other domestic waste to be disposed of with your usual black bag collection. If you would prefer to dispose of this waste more frequently it can be taken to your local recycling centre.
The increase in the number of materials being recycled and frequency of recycling collections including the introduction of glass collections and nappy/hygiene and garden waste collections, the amount of waste placed in your black bag should significantly reduce.
The current exemption stickers which enable larger households to place additional black bags out for collection would be reviewed as a part of the new recycling strategy. We will inform residents of any changes.
Later this year, we will be introducing a free fortnightly nappy collection service. This will be a subscription service that households can sign up to. More details will be available soon.
By introducing weekly food waste and recycling collections, there should be enough room in your black bags for items that can’t be recycled.
Any additional waste can be taken to your local recycling centre. There is no excuse for fly-tipping and we believe that the vast majority of residents would not choose to blight their local area in this way. We must make changes in order to reduce our carbon emissions, increase recycling rates and provide a cost-effective service.
Items most commonly fly-tipped are bulky items or trade waste – neither of which are part of our recycling and waste collections.
Large household items can be taken to your recycling centre and we also provide a bulky waste collection which costs £25 for three items.
The proposals would require major changes to Carmarthenshire’s waste service and will take time to plan and implement.
You have told us during previous consultations that glass collections are needed as well as weekly recycling collections. If approved, we would like to implement these changes as soon as possible. However, in order to provide a more environmentally friendly, efficient and cost-effective service, other changes are required which will take longer to implement.
We are proposing that residents adopt the ‘self-sort’ method, using separate containers and sacks for different materials. This would mean that the recycling collected is less likely to be contaminated by other materials, so it can be more easily made into new products. By making these changes, we would also be able to increase the range of materials we collect and could introduce the collection of textiles, small electricals and batteries.
These changes would improve the council’s carbon footprint, help us to meet Welsh Government recycling targets and provide a more cost-effective service
The proposed changes to collect separated recycling would not be introduced until 2024.
If approved, the council would need vehicles with a range of compartments and our crews would place items into the right compartments as they do their rounds.
These changes would be introduced at the same time as our current recycling fleet reaches the end of its life.
This team effort between you and us to sort and collect your household items for recycling will improve the quality of the materials we collect for recycling, which is better for the environment and will help us to recycle more in the UK.
If you are unable to put your bags out for collection please contact us and we will be able to review your circumstances and discuss possible options with you.
The proposed changes to collect separated recycling would not be introduced until 2024.
Although placing all of your recycling into one bag is more convenient, this way of collecting recycling will not be possible in the future as we seek to produce higher grade recycling materials. As our recycling targets increase and the volume of recycling collected increases across the country, we are under more demand than ever to produce quality, un-contaminated recycling to ensure that it can be used to make new products.
By asking households to separate their items into different containers, as most other authorities do, contamination would be significantly reduced.
The proposed changes to blue bags would not be introduced until 2024.
As these changes have not been agreed, at this stage we cannot say what types of bags/boxes we will ask you to put your recycling in. If approved, we will research and source the most user-friendly methods for both crew and residents.
Yes – if introduced, we would ask that you stick to the three black bag limit placed on each household even if you usually place your waste in a communal area.
Welsh Government’s ‘Beyond Recycling’ waste strategy can be found on their website.
If proposals are agreed, in 2022 you will have an additional box for your glass collections. The recycling will go into the same blue bags as you are using now as well as the food waste bins. You will be able to put your blue bags out for collection every week so you will be able to get rid of your recycling waste more frequently, which in most cases is the bulk of waste generated from the home.
In 2024 there will be bags or boxes or a mixture of both, to put your recycling into. There are ways of storing all containers and more detail on hints and tips will be provided if the proposals are passed and when the container types are decided upon.
Yes, however, in areas where we provide communal collections, for example flats, we would work with residents, landlords and management companies on how best to apply the changes based on individual circumstances. Please be assured we would be in direct contact with residents before any changes are made.
These can be placed into a smaller nappy sack type bag if you prefer and then put into your black bag mixed with other household waste to be disposed of with your usual black bag collection. If you would prefer to dispose of this waste more frequently you can book an appointment and take it to your local recycling centre.
If the proposals are agreed, we will in fact be providing you with more household collection services than you get currently.
Now in a three-week period you receive the following collections:
- 2 x blue bag
- 3 x food waste
- 1 x black bag
- 2 x garden waste (if subscribed), 3 x hygiene (if required).
That is a possible 11 collections every three weeks.
Proposed changes for 2022
In 2022 you will receive:
- 3 x blue bag
- 3 x food waste
- 1 x glass
- 1x black bag
- 2 x garden waste (if subscribed)
- 2 x nappies and 2 x hygiene (if required).
That is a possible 14 collections every three weeks.
Proposed changes for 2024
In 2024 you will receive:
- 3 x cardboard, paper, cans, plastic
- 3 x glass with also potential for 3 x batteries, textiles and small electrical appliances
- 3 x food waste
- 1 x black bag
- 2 x garden waste (if subscribed)
- 2 x hygiene and 2 x nappy collections (if required).
That adds up to a possible 19 collections every three weeks.
Next Steps
A public consultation has been carried out. We are collating the results which will be available soon. Your feedback will also be passed on to the Cabinet to consider before a final decision is made on the future changes to recycling and waste collections.