SKDC warns people to get the rubbish right in their silver and purple-lidded recycling bins

Bins will not be emptied if people fill them with the wrong rubbish, a council has warned.

The contents of people’s silver bins will be inspected during collections in January and any clean, dry paper and card found inside will lead to the bin being tagged.

Tags will advise that clean paper and card should now be put in purple-lidded bins, distributed to households in Stamford, Grantham, Bourne and the Deepings, by South Kesteven District Council.

And if people are still making mistakes in February, when the purple-lidded bins start to be collected, their bins will not be emptied.

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About 68,000 black bins with purple lids have been delivered to homes by South Kesteven District Council so that clean paper and card can be recycled in a greener way at a paper mill.

Other recyclable waste will still be collected from people’s silver bins, while non-recyclables will continue to be collected fortnightly from the plain black bins.

Joint cabinet member for waste and environment, Rhys Baker (Green – Bourne Austerby), said: “Householders need to put the right thing in the right bin.

“If you put an incorrect item in your silver bin for your next recycling collection, SKDC’s street scene crews will place helpful advisory tags on any that contain the wrong items, explaining which items are in the wrong bin to help people get used to the change.”

Fellow cabinet member for the environment, Patsy Ellis (Green – Grantham St Vincent’s) added: “From Monday, February 5, the council will no longer empty any recycling bins with incorrect items in them.”

She added that people should refer to the ‘Right Thing Right Bin’ leaflet delivered to their homes - and information available online - to ensure rejected bins are kept to a minimum.

“Anyone who remains unsure can request a home visit from our staff for assistance on this,” said Coun Ellis.

The purple-lidded bins is for dry, clean, waste paper and cardboard only. Shredded paper should go in the black bin, because the paper mill is unable to recycle it due to the cut fibres it contains.

Excess cardboard and paper left next to a bin will not be removed. If the purple-lidded bin is already full, the council suggests storing recycling for the next collection or taking it to the council tip in Grantham or Bourne.

All other clean, dry recycling – such as glass bottles, plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, metal tins and cans –should be put loose in the silver bin, and not contained within plastic bags.

Additional bags of recycling left alongside the silver bin will no longer be taken.

The four-week collection cycle is: black, silver, black, purple-lidded, then this repeats.

Collection days are listed by address on the SKDC website or people can phone 01476 406544. They can also speak to council staff who are accompanying refuse collectors on their rounds.

People who use SKDC binbags should continue to put paper and card in with recycling on the new silver bin collection weeks.

Do you think you’ll be a good recycler? Leave a comment below.