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It’s now six weeks since we moved to our new collection service and the early signs show that it is making a difference.
Less general waste is being thrown away and more food and recyclable materials are being put to good use.
By making small changes at home – wasting less and recycling more – people across the area are helping to protect the environment and keep costs down.
Every banana skin in the food caddy and every plastic bottle in the red bag makes a difference.
The free North Somerset Council app is also making it easier to manage collections.
Use the app to set bin reminders, get real-time service updates, check how to recycle different items, and access other council services.
Just search for North Somerset Council on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
We do realise a few residents have had a trickier start to the new service with missed collections, as the new system beds in and crews adjust to new routes.
We’re sorry about that and will continue to work to maintain the high standards we all expect.
Report any missed collections on our website so we can take action.
Plastic bags and soft plastic wrapping now collected at the kerbside
More than 30 tonnes of plastic bags and soft plastic wrapping have been collected since the service began in June - more than double the expected amount.
Soft plastic wrapping includes lightweight materials that take up a lot of space in black bins, such as crisp packets, salad bags, plastic film lids, pouches and bread bags.
We’re the first local authority in the country to collect these items across the district from the kerbside.
Just squash these into a plastic carrier or bread bag, tie tightly to squeeze the air out, and place in the same box as your glass recycling.
They must be clean and dry to keep the quality of materials high.
What happens to it?
Plastic bags and soft plastic wrapping are currently being stored at our Weston-super-Mare transfer station.
We’re working with several specialist recycling companies to find the best place to send them.
Ideally, they will be recycled here in the UK or Europe, where the technology is more advanced.
Recycling options for soft plastics are improving rapidly, helped by the government’s plan for every council in England to collect soft plastics at the kerbside by 2027.
We’ll share more updates once the first batch is sent off.
Find out where your other recycling goes on our website, or find out more about the service.