Twin Bins

Twin Bins have been introduced in North Norfolk to help reduce the amount of rubbish that is buried in, and contaminates, our precious countryside. The average-size family or household in the UK produces more than a tonne of household waste every year, at least half of which could be recycled. North Norfolk's Twin Bins recycling and refuse collection scheme has been designed to deal with this volume of waste, but only if every household 'signs up' to the scheme and reduces the amount of rubbish produced, by recycling more.

Most households in North Norfolk have been supplied with two 240-litre wheeled bins - a green one for recyclable materials and a grey one for domestic rubbish. Your two bins will hold all the recyclables and rubbish you produce, except for garden waste.

The bins will be collected from the edge, or curtilage, of your property on alternate weeks, so the green bin will be collected one week and the grey one will be collected on the same day a week later. The bins should be wheeled to the edge of your property by 7am on the day of collection.

Green Recycling Bin

This bin is for recyclable materials only:

• Food and drink cans (aluminium and steel)

• Aerosols (empty)

• Plastic bottles (drinks, bleach, shampoo bottles etc) - please do not squash bottles, just rinse and remove the caps and place separately in the bin

• Paper (not shredded) and cardboard

For the time being, we cannot recycle foil trays and wraps, polystyrene, waxed cartons such as fruit juice cartons, plastics food trays, yoghurt pots, margarine tubs and plastic bags. For glass and textiles, please use local recycling banks (in places like supermarkets and council car parks) and Norfolk County Council Recycling Centres.

Your recyclables should be placed loose in your green bin - not in bags.

If you have more recyclables than will fit inside your green recycling bin, place them neatly inside a box by the bin, but please ensure they are secured to prevent litter. These will be collected on your next recycling collection.

If you are regularly presenting excess recyclable waste and have the space to accommodate an additional 140 litre green recycling bin, then please contact Environmental Health Administration on 01263 516189 (option 1).

Grey Waste Bin

Once you have separated your recyclables, the rest of the household waste you produce should be placed in the grey bin, including cling film, polystyrene and waxed cartons.

• The more you recycle, the less you will have to place in the grey bin, which is large enough to hold four or five full (but not crammed) black sacks, or their equivalent.
  
• Do not cram or stuff waste into the grey bin, or put so much in that the lid won't close. The bin is emptied mechanically into the lorry, and if rubbish is so jammed in that it won't fall out, the refuse collectors will return the bin to you full.
  
• Any extra waste left beside your grey bin will not be collected.

You may have concerns with regard to the health and hygiene implications of the grey rubbish bin that will be collected fortnightly. However, there will be little smell and no risk to public health if you double wrap food scraps and remains in plastic bags, double wrap nappies, and store the bin out of direct sunlight.

Let's all make a greater effort to recycle more - don't let North Norfolk go to waste!

Exceptions

Some homes, such as flats, may be unsuitable for wheeled bins and some people, because of age or disability, will not be able to wheel the Twin Bins to the edge of their property for collection and provisions have been made to accommodate residents in these circumstances.

• Exemptions

Where there is no room for the storage of twin bins your property may be granted an exemption from their use. Sacks will therefore be delivered to you twice a year in January and July. If you do not receive sacks during these months, you have two months to advise NNDC. After this time we are unable to rectify deliveries.

A limit applies to the number of waste sacks you can place out for collection; the same as for wheeled bins. This is the equivalent of two sacks per week, so no more than four black sacks will be collected at one time. We provide all residents with one black sack and one clear sack per week. If you run out of bags, you will need to supply additional black bags yourself.

Any excess recyclable waste may be presented in other containers, but not black sacks, provided that they are clearly identifiable as recyclables within, for example, cardboard boxes or open carrier bags. But please remember they should not create litter or cause a nuisance.

• Assisted Collections

If because of age or disability you are not able to wheel your bin to the edge, or curtilage, of your property you can apply for an assisted collection. This means that your bins will be collected from within your garden.

• Smaller bins

If you live alone or there are few people in your household, you may think that one of the 240-litre bins are too big for your needs. You can apply for a smaller 140-litre wheeled bin.

If you decide to have a smaller bin the same collection service applies as for the 240-litre bin, i.e. collection will be fortnightly and no waste beside the grey bin will be collected. If you later choose to change the size of your bin there will be a delivery charge.

If you wish to have your property re-assessed for any of these reasons or have any further queries, please contact our Customer Services Team on 01263 516189 or 01263 516301.

FAQ's

Q. How will my Twin Bins be collected?
A. The bins will be collected from the edge of your property on alternate weeks: general rubbish in your grey bin one week and recyclables in the green bin the next. Your collection day will be the same each week. The bin must be at the edge of your property by 7am on the day of collection. Do not place your bin on the pavement or road.

Q. What if I can't fit all my rubbish in the bins?
A. If you cannot get all your recyclables in the green bin, please leave them neatly and securely beside it, preferably in a cardboard box to prevent litter. However, any household rubbish left beside your grey bin will not be collected.

Q. My bin was left full. Why?
A. Do not cram your rubbish into your bins, or put so much in that the lids won't close. The bins are emptied mechanically, and if rubbish is so jammed in that it won't fall out, the bin will not be emptied. Or the bin may be 'contaminated' with waste that should not be in it, in which case the refuse collectors will leave a note asking you to remove the contamination - any items that cannot be recycled - by the next collection.

Q. What if I am disabled, elderly or infirm and cannot move a wheeled bin?
A. If you and all the other residents of your household are physically incapable of wheeling the bins out, call 01263 516189 to apply for an assisted collection. Assisted collections will not be given if it is simply inconvenient for you to wheel the bins to the edge of your property

Q. How much waste will a bin hold?
A. A 240-litre bin will hold the equivalent of about four or five full black sacks. A 140-litre bin will hold approximately two or three sacks' worth of waste.

Q. What if I have nowhere to store the Twin Bins?
A. In such cases, for instance if you live in a flat, call our Customer Services Team on 01263 516189/516301. NNDC will consider exempting you from the Twin Bins scheme (which would mean you carry on using sacks as before), or can arrange for large communal bins that can be used by you and your neighbours. Exemptions will not be given if it is simply inconvenient for you to have Twin Bins.

Q. How is ash collected?
A. Please place COLD ash in your grey household waste bin, but do ensure the bin is not so heavy that it cannot be moved.