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Tuesday , August , 20 2019
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Which bin do I use?

We offer a range of containers to help you to recycle and manage your household waste.

You can collect recycling bags and boxes from the Civic Centre during office hours free of charge. Alternatively, order a container to arrange delivery of any of these containers and wheeled bins. Charges apply for the cost of some containers and for delivery.

Don't forget:

  • Food and drinks cartons (tetrapak) can be recycled – please put them in your green bag with your cardboard and paper.
  • We CAN collect black plastic trays. Our sorting systems do not have any issues with black plastic.
  • Please place your containers out by 7am on your collection day so you don't miss the collection.

    For more information on which items can be recycled in each container please see our how to recycle guide. You can check your recycling collection calendar using the postcode finder. Thank you for recycling. 

    What happens to my recycling?

    It is important that you put your recycling in the right bags and boxes. Our crews will empty your bags and boxes into our recycling collection vehicles; these may look like ordinary bin lorries but they have two separate compartments, running the length of the vehicle designed to keep the recycling separate.  Find out more about what happens to your recycling at https://www.carlisle.gov.uk/residents/bins-and-recycling/what-happens-to-your-recycling

  • Plastic, glass and cans will be emptied into one side of the vehicle
  • Paper, cardboard and food and drinks containers (Tetrapak) will be emptied in the other side

Placing the wrong items into your bags and boxes or putting out contaminated recycling (eg dirty food tins or take-away boxes with left-over pizza still in them) into your bags and boxes might mean that your recycling may not get emptied. Or, if it does get emptied, then the contamination can spread and affect the value of the material we collect. As recycling helps to generate income for Carlisle City Council it is important that we all take responsibility to avoid waste and maximise income as the money we receive from the onward sale of recycling is reinvested back into local services for the people of Carlisle.

All household recycling is taken to the local Material Recovery Facility (MRF) operated by our contractor, Cumbria Waste Management. All materials are sorted and separated on site at the plant at Hespin Wood. This material is then batched and sold to UK markets. There are many examples / videos of an MRF operation on the internet or on channels such as YouTube.

grey bin 240ltr

Grey refuse wheeled bin (240 Litre)

We collect rubbish from grey refuse wheeled bins every fortnight from most properties.
If you don't have a refuse wheeled bin and we provide these in your area, please use the online form below. Please note, replacement refuse wheeled bins are charged at £22 (for 140 litre), £41 (for standard 240 litre),  £10 (for 140 litre refurbished) or £21 (for standard 240 litre refurbished)  - prices include delivery. There are a limited number of refurbished bins, please contact us to check availability. These charges also apply to residents who have moved to a property and find a refuse bin is missing. Please look after your bin by only leaving it out for the shortest time possible. If you move home, please leave the bin at your old property.

  • Please make sure that you place it out before 7am at the kerbside (or the night before) as we cannot return if you miss the collection.
  • Some of our terrace properties receive a back lane refuse collection. If you are unsure of your collection point, firstly please check where your neighbours have placed their refuse bin/gull sack on collection day. If still unsure, please contact us for clarification.
  • Your rubbish must be placed into your refuse wheeled bin with the lid closed. We will not collect any bags of rubbish left next to bins.
  • Please do not overfill your refuse wheeled bin, your bin will not be emptied if it is too heavy for our lifting equipment.
  • Please only place household waste into your refuse wheeled bin - bricks/rubble should be taken to a Household Waste Recycling Centre.

We will not empty bins that do not meet these service standards.
grey bin 140ltr

Smaller/additional refuse wheeled bins

If you have more than 5 people who live in your household, or two or more babies in nappies you may be entitled to receive an additional small refuse wheeled bin. We can also offer these to replace your large bin if you don't produce much waste. There is no charge for replacing your existing large bin for a smaller one.

grey bin 140ltr

Large gull-proof reusable sack

Replacement gull-proof sacks are available for £18 each or can be collected from the Civic Centre Carlisle for £9.

  • Please ensure that you place your gull-proof sack out before 7am at the kerbside (or the night before) as we cannot return if you miss the collection.
  • Some of our terrace properties receive a back lane refuse collection. If you are unsure of your collection point, firstly please check where your neighbours have placed their refuse bin/gull sack on collection day. If still unsure, please contact us for clarification.
  • Please ensure all your waste is bagged into refuse sack(s) first before being placed into your gull-proof sack.  We cannot empty it if your waste is placed in loose.
  • Only one sack will be collected (unless an additional sack has been previously approved).
  • Please do not leave any refuse beside your gull-proof sack as we will only collect waste that is placed into your gull-proof sack.
  • Please ensure that your gull-proof sack is left in the correct place for collection.  This is normally at the front of your property at the kerbside.
gull sack

Small gull-proof reusable sack

Ideal for smaller households. Replacement gull-proof sacks are available for £8 each or can be collected from the Civic Centre Carlisle for £4.. 
green bin

Garden waste bins

We offer a garden waste bin to most properties with gardens. Your recycling collection calendar tells you if we collect garden waste from your area.

Replacement bins are charged at £41 for a 240 litre bin.  Unfortunately we are not able to offer the option of additional bins.

Please check that you only put the following items in your garden waste bin:

  • grass or hedge clippings
  • leaves
  • weeds
  • cut flowers or plants (please shake off excess soil)
  • twigs or small branches
  • real Christmas tree (or see the information above about Hospice at Home collections)

Your bin will not be emptied if it is too heavy for our lifting equipment, so do not over compress garden waste, Please do not put soil, stones, rubble, etc. Please do not place any wood, pet waste or food waste, (including fruit or vegetables) in your garden waste bin as we cannot recycle these.

  • Please make sure that you place your bin out by 7am at the kerbside (or the night before) as we cannot return if you miss the collection.

We no longer offer additional garden waste bins. As an alternative home compost bins are available at discounted prices.

green box

Green box

Use your green box to recycle;

  • Empty glass bottles or jars (eg jam jars, coffee jars) - please rinse, but no need to remove labels
  • Empty food tins (including biscuit tins) and drinks cans and empty aerosol cans - please rinse food cans

Replacement green boxes are charged at £2 each for delivery or can be collected free of charge from the Civic Centre.

Please do not place paper into your Green box.  Paper is now collected with cardboard in your green bag  Your Green box needs to be at the kerbside for collection by 7am (or the night before).  Unfortunately we are not able to return if you miss the collection.

green bag

Green bags

We collect plastics, paper, cardboard and cartons from green bags. We CAN collect black plastics! 

  • Replacement Green bags are charged at £2 each for delivery or can be collected free of charge from the Civic Centre.

TOP TIPS:

  • Please ensure that you place only plastics in one green bag and cardboard and paper in the other green bag as we cannot recycle mixed materials. 
  • Your greenbags need to be at the kerbside for collection by 7am (or the night before).  Unfortunately we are not able to return if you miss the collection.
Plastics Paper, Cardboard and Cartons
  • Bottles
  • Tubs, yoghurt pots
  • Food trays, containers

Please flatten where possible and place all plastics in one green bag.

Sorry - NO polystyrene, bubble wrap, plastic bags, plastic toys, cling film or food waste.

  • Paper (including newspapers and magazines). 

NO wrapping paper or glittery cards

  • Packaging boxes
  • Cereal boxes
  • Cardboard egg cartons
  • Food sleeves and boxes
  • Toilet and kitchen roll tubes
  • Food and drink cartons (tetra pak)

Please flatten and place all cardboard in one green bag. Larger items can go beside your green bag.

 

white bag

White bag

If you struggle to carry your green box, we can offer an alternative reusable white bag, which is also great for use in smaller properties as an alternative to the green box.  You can recycle glass, tins and cans in the white bag.

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