Storing and presenting household rubbish and recycling

This policy explains how residents, landlords and property managers should store and present household rubbish and recycling so that collections can be completed safely and reliably. It applies to houses, flats, houses in multiple occupation, mansion blocks and other properties with individual or communal waste storage arrangements.

Household rubbish must be placed in strong, securely tied waste bags or suitable bins. Recycling must be separated and presented in line with the Council’s recycling instructions. Waste should not be left loose, leaking, or obstructing access within a storage area or on the pavement.

Where a property has a designated waste storage area, residents should normally use it. Communal storage areas and access routes must be kept clean, well lit, unobstructed and free from hazards, vermin, bulky items and loose waste. Landlords, freeholders and managing agents are responsible for maintaining communal storage arrangements and communicating collection requirements to residents.
Where rubbish and recycling are collected from the street, they should normally be placed outside by 7am on the scheduled collection day and not the night before. Bags should be left close to the kerb, directly outside the property unless the Council has agreed another location and must not obstruct pedestrians, wheelchair users, people with pushchairs, entrances, emergency routes or vehicles.

Collection crews may suspend or limit a collection where access or site conditions are unsafe. This may include inadequate lighting, damaged steps, loose or leaking waste, vermin, bulky obstructions, building works, hazardous materials or an unsafe manual handling risk. Where this happens, the Council or its contractor should explain the problem, the action required and any temporary collection arrangements. Normal collections can resume once the identified hazards have been addressed.

Residents who are elderly, disabled, have limited mobility or would have substantial difficulty using the agreed collection point should contact the Council so that their individual circumstances can be considered.

Waste placed outside at the wrong time, in the wrong location, in insecure or leaking bags, or in a way that causes an obstruction may be investigated under the Council’s waste and street enforcement arrangements.

The full policy includes further information about:

• standards for communal waste storage areas;
• moving a multi occupancy property to street level collection;
• responsibilities of residents, property managers, the Council and its collection contractor;
• missed collections, complaints and disputes;
• suitable types of waste bins; and
• examples of correctly and incorrectly presented rubbish and recycling

Read the full Storage and Presentation of Household Rubbish and Recycling policy.