Recycling, missed bin collections and general waste
Case reference FOI2021/01135
Published 23 December 2021
Request
Can you share with me information about what happens with the bins/recycling that is collected? Is recycling delivered to a dedicated place to process recycling? Is recycling taken to the same place as general waste?
Response
How many missed bin collections did the council experience in the past financial year (2020 to 2021).
We have received 5031 reports of missed collections during this period.
How many missed bin collections complaints has the council received in the past financial year? (2020-2021).
We do not record formal complaints in a way that allows us to identify this information.
Is the bin collection company council or a private company?
Our waste services are in-house.
Can you share with me information about what happens with the bins/recycling that is collected?
Once collected the contents of the refuse, recycling and food waste bins are taken to Slyfield transfer station where they are bulked before being taken for reprocessing. Surrey County, as the Waste Disposal Authority, manage the waste from this stage. The refuse is taken to be used as a source of Energy from Waste. Recycling is taken to a further facility to be sorted into the different elements before being reprocessed into new items. Food waste is taken to an anaerobic digestion plant to be composted.
Textiles, small electrical items and batteries are all separated at our depot into specific containers before being taken to be reused or recycled by specialist companies.
Is recycling delivered to a dedicated place to process recycling? Is recycling taken to the same place as general waste?
The initial location (the transfer station) is the same as it allows the waste to be bulked so reducing the impact of transporting it to further sites but recycling and refuse are not taken to the same sites for reprocessing.
Documents
This is Guildford Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
You can browse our other responses or make a new FOI request.