Important changes to your Refuse Collection and Recycling Services

We are making important changes to your Refuse Collection and Recycling Services. Tameside Council will then operate a Managed Weekly Recycling and Refuse Collection Service.

You will still receive a weekly collection service. One week we will collect your black bin and the following week we will collect your green bin. This sequence will operate throughout the year and will cover a full 52 weeks of service. Collection details and dates will be issued before the scheme begins.

Your blue bin paper collection service and brown bin garden waste collection service will not be affected and will continue to be emptied on the dates previously provided.

We would like to remind residents of the flat lid and no extra side waste policies that are currently in place for black bin collections. These policies will remain in place to encourage residents to divert waste into the recycling stream.

If your area is currently covered by our recycling schemes and you require any of the bins please contact the Call Centre on the number at the bottom of the page, or order your bins via one of our online services.

If your area is not currently covered by the green bin scheme, the bin will be delivered prior to the commencement of the new service. If you require any other coloured bin please contact us on the number below.

Frequently asked questions

1. Why are collections changing?
The Council has targets for recycling of 40% to reach by 2010 and 50% by 2020 and could be heavily fined if these targets are not met. Sending waste to landfill is damaging our environment and is a very expensive option.

2. Why do we need to stop waste being sent to landfill?
Landfill has become a major social and environmental issue due to the fact that landfill space is running out and each year we dispose of millions of tonnes of material that could be recycled.

3. Is this scheme unique to my area?
No, nearly 200 councils across England and Wales have this scheme. 10,000 households in Tameside are currently receiving this service.

4. Are there any health issues associated with alternate weekly collections?
A recent government report found no evidence of an increased health risk associated with Managed collections. The report concludes that commonsense measures, such as keeping waste tightly wrapped and bin lids closed, can help deal with any potential increases in odour, insects or other nuisance that could be associated with Managed Collections.

5. Why can’t I recycle all my plastic waste?
There are 22 different types of plastic and each is recycled using a different recycling process. Currently there are no processes available to Tameside that can collect and separate all 22 plastics. We therefore collect plastic bottles as this represents the majority of plastic waste created within Tameside.

6. What if I recycle at Bring Sites/Household Waste Recycling Centres and do not use the kerbside scheme?
We are happy for you to continue using these methods as long as your non-recyclable waste is contained within your black refuse bin.

7. What if I have difficulty moving my bin?
The Council offer a Pull Out & Return Service to residents who have difficulty moving bins. If you already receive assistance with your existing bins, this will continue.

8. How will I know the collection dates for each bin?
Green bin and black bin collection dates will be provided within the next 4 weeks. Your blue bin paper collection service and your brown bin garden waste service will not be affected and will continue to be emptied on the dates provided.

Top Tips for Managing your Waste

1. Place all glass bottles, jars, drinks cans, food cans, aerosols and plastic bottles (please rinse and remove plastic lids) into your green bin - squash them down, where possible.

2. Put all newspapers, magazines, junk mail, phone directories and yellow pages into your blue paper bin (For collection dates please refer to the collection date stickers previously provided on your blue bin).

3. Collect all garden clippings such as grass cuttings, leaves, twigs, prunings and hedge trimmings, flowers and plants and place them into the brown garden waste bin (For collection dates please refer to the collection date calendar previously provided with your brown bin).

4. Uncooked vegetables and fruit waste can be composted in a home compost bin.

5. Use one of our many recycling sites across the borough to dispose of paper, cans, plastic, glass, textiles and shoes. Alternatively make use of household waste recycling centres to dispose of items that we cannot collect; like wood, building waste and electronic goods.

6. Only use your black bin for household waste that cannot be recycled. To stop your bin from smelling, double bag your food waste, keep bin lids closed and where possible keep the bin out of direct sunlight.

Brown bin

What can be put in your Brown bin?

• Grass cuttings
• Hedge clippings
• Cut flowers
• Plants
• Twigs
• Small branches

What cannot be put in your Brown bin?

• Plastic bags
• Paper
• Metal
• Soil
• Stone
• Rubble
• Dog and cat faeces
• Turf and ash
• Pet bedding
• Straw and kitchen waste
  

Blue Bin

What can be put in your blue bin?

• Newspapers
• Junk mail
• Magazines
• Letters
• Paper and shredded paper
• Envelopes
• Phone directories and yellow pages

What cannot be put in your blue bin?

• Plastic
• Polystyrene packaging and cardboard
  

Black bin 

What can be put in your Black bin?

• Household waste

What cannot be put in your Black bin?

• Anything that can be recycled or home composted
• Any side waste
  

Green bin

What can be put in your Green bin?

• Steel and aluminium cans
• Aerosols
• Glass bottles and jars and all plastic bottles (please remove all plastic lids)

What cannot be put in your Green bin?

• Light bulbs
• Window pane glass
• Pyrex
• Polystyrene
• Aluminium foil
• Plastic
• Bags
• Margarine tubs and yogurt pots

Don’t forget you no longer require red sacks

Place all plastic bottles, glass bottles & jars, food & drinks cans straight into your green bin for collection.

Please Note: We no longer accept plastic carrier bags or film as part of the green bin scheme.

Contact Information
Send us a Message	Recycling Section Tameside MBC Council Offices Wellington Road Ashton under Lyne OL6 6DL  View local map
0161 342 8355
0161 342 2266