Your recycling and refuse collection service
Many Aberdeen City residents now have their household waste collections every second week. Households affected by this change in service received a letter and a new household waste collections booklet. On the back of the letter there is a calendar which shows you when the following items will be collected:
- Your black wheeled bin for your household waste
- Your brown bin for garden and food waste
- Your black box and white bag for recycling
You may have Questions to ask the Waste Aware Team. The following may be of help to you:
How will we manage as a family with only one black bin collection each fortnight?
Information provided by other Scottish local authorities shows that a black bin, with capacity for 240 litres, should be sufficient to hold the residual waste for up to five residents. Residual waste is the term used for refuse that cannot be separated for recycling or composting.
Families with five or more permanent residents in the household can contact the Waste Aware Team for advice and assistance.
I have small children, how will I cope with this new service?
Most households, even those with small children, should manage if they use all the recycling services available to them and follow the advice in the booklet.
If you have children in nappies, have you considered reusable nappies? For information please contact the Grampian Real Nappies Project on 01224 213736
I have a medical condition that creates extra waste - what can I do?
Contact the Waste Aware Team for assistance.
I have received a letter but a calendar was not enclosed.
In order to save paper, the calendars have been printed on the back of the letter.
I have lost my recycling box, can I get another?
You can order replacement bins, bags and boxes by calling the Waste Aware Team on 08456 08 09 19 or 01224 219 281.
I am concerned about the possibility of vermin/health hazards/smells associated with the new service.
We have looked at other local authorities where fortnightly collections have been introduced and there is no evidence of problems with vermin or health hazards associated with the collection service providing you follow these simple steps:
- Wrap or bag food waste
- Keep the bin lid closed
- If possible, store in the shade
I don't receive recycling and/or garden waste collection services, how will I cope with one fortnightly collection?
All households with a fortnightly refuse collection service should also be eligible for a kerbside recycling service. To find out if your property is eligible please contact the Waste Aware Team on 08456 08 09 19 or 01224 219 281.
What happens if my black box or white bag is full before my collection day?
Excess recyclable materials can be taken to one of the Council's Household Waste and Recycling Centres or Local Recycling Points. If you regularly produce excess recycling materials you may request an additional box and bag.
Can I use my brown bin for excess waste that I cannot fit into my black wheeled bin?
No, your brown wheeled bin is specifically for the collection of garden and food waste and will only be emptied by the designated collection vehicle for this waste stream. Brown wheeled bins that do not have only food and garden waste placed in them will not be emptied.
Excess waste should be taken to your nearest Household Waste and Recycling Centre and not left at the side of your bin.
I have received a letter but I have a communal bin for my residual waste.
Your communal bin will be emptied as usual, however, if you use the kerbside recycling service and/or the brown bin your collection dates may be affected by the service change. If the letter you received is from the Council, it will have a calendar printed on the back. Please keep this calendar as it shows when your recycling containers and brown bins will be collected.
I can't fit all my waste in my bin, can I put extra bags out for collection?
Please do not put side waste out for collection. In the first few weeks there will be a period of leniency to allow people to adjust to the new system, however, the Council policy is that bags of side waste should not be presented.
Why a fortnightly collection?
We need to meet our landfill reduction and recycling targets set for environmental reasons by the European Union and the Scottish Government. We also want to deliver a more efficient and effective waste collection service.
To ensure we meet our targets we are encouraging Aberdeen citizens to be aware of the waste they create and deal with it responsibly. Part of this approach is to introduce the new service of collections every second week.
Changes to your Recycling and Refuse Collection Service booklet
The new household waste collections booklet will help explain the collection service. For those who require larger print, translation or an audio description of the booklet please contact the Waste Aware Team for assistance.
Our Waste Aware Team is available to answer all your recycling and refuse enquires. Please give them a call if you have any questions - Tel 08456 08 09 19 or 01224 219 281 or you can contact us on the wasteaware@aberdeencity.gov.uk.
Some of my collections fall on a Monday - what will happen on bank holidays?
Only collections that fall on Christmas Day and New Year's Day will be affected. Your collection day will not change as a result of any other bank, public or local holidays. If you are due a collection on either Christmas Day or New Year's Day we will advertise your alternative collection dates nearer the time in the local press.
Back to the Household Waste Collections home page.