Battery Recycling from the Doorstep
A lot of people use a lot of the different services provided by the Council, but the one thing the Council does which almost all of us use and rely on is the household bin collection scheme. We have obviously retained weekly collections here, after the former County Council tried to change to a fortnightly system in Bedford Borough. When I talk to residents around the Borough about the bin collection, it is clear that people really value having a weekly system. People also tell me they like the fact that we have a relatively simple recycling collection scheme. Most non-food items can be put in the orange bin or bags for collection every fortnight. However, one thing that a number of people have told me is that they would like the range of materials you can recycle expanded even further. So, we've been working on it, and I'm delighted that we are now rolling out battery recycling collections from the doorstep for the very first time.
The scheme involves putting your used batteries in a small bag provided by the Council, and when full, sealing it and placing on top of the black refuse bin or sacks on the normal day of collection. The collection crews will collect the full bag and leave a new replacement empty bag.
It is being introduced on a 'phased' basis to start with, in order to check its impact on the existing black bin collection. We are confident that there won't be any problems, but it is of course important to check first for any potential delays or other potential glitches to ensure there are no adverse effects to the current bin collection or extra resources required. If your street is not included in this first instance, don't worry - we'll be expanding the scheme across the Borough as soon as possible! To check whether your street is included in the first wave of this new service or for any more information on recycling you can visit the dedicated page on the Council's website at www.bedford.gov.uk/recycling , or call the Council's Recycling Team on 01234 718254.