Answers to many of the questions people have been asking us about the service.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Can I have a larger, smaller or second wheelie bin for my recycling?

I have trouble moving bins around. Can you help me?

Why is the council collecting food waste separately?                                                      

Will the council collect waste that doesn’t fit in the bin?

What will happen if I leave extra waste next to my bin?

What am I supposed to do with my children’s nappies?

Can cooking oil go in the food bin?

Can I have a larger, smaller or second wheelie bin for my recycling?
If you find your recycling bin is too big or not big enough, you can apply for a smaller, larger or an additional recycling bin. Smaller recycling bins are the same size as the standard waste bin; larger ones are 1.5 times the size of the normal recycling bin.

I have trouble moving bins around. Can you help me?
Yes. We already provide an assisted collection service for people who find it difficult to manage moving the bins and baskets around, such as the elderly or disabled people. We have no plans to change this. If you want an assisted collection please email: recyclingandwaste@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk or call 01296 585510.

Why is the council collecting food waste separately?
There are two reasons:

• We want to keep the weekly collection for food waste, to avoid problems with smells and flies. The bins have locking lids to keep odours in and animals out. 
• Food waste makes up around a quarter of the average household bin contents. When this is buried in landfill, it creates greenhouse gases as it decomposes. We’ll be sending the food waste to be treated in a way that collects the gas produced to generate electricity, and the residue will be used as soil conditioner by farmers.

Can cooking oil go in the food bin?
No - not in any quantity. For example, if you need to empty your deep fat fryer, you cannot put that oil in the food bin - you should put it into a container, then into the waste bin.

Will the council collect extra waste that doesn’t fit in the bin?
No – extra waste will not be taken away. There are three reasons for this:

• Other councils have told us that people recycle more if they know the council won’t collect side waste – it gives people a bigger incentive to make sure they recycle everything they can.
• Collecting waste in bags is more dangerous for our collection crews. Bins are much safer and result in fewer accidents for our staff.
• Collecting waste in bags takes the collection crews longer as they have to make extra trips to the vehicle, which slows them down. A few seconds extra at each house turns into hours on a collection round.

What will happen if I leave extra rubbish next to my bin?

1. Firstly, we’ll remind you not to leave out extra waste - with a sticker on your bin.
2. If households regularly put out extra waste by their bin, the waste will be stickered and put in their bin for the next collection, or households can take to the tip instead.There should be more than sufficient space in your recycling bin and waste bin for the average family’s waste – remember we have trialed this system already for 6 months and there were no extra waste issues with residents.
3. In persistent cases, extra waste left by bins wil be stickered to advise households to dispose of properly themselves. Extra waste left could be classed as flytipping – which may incur a fine.

What am I supposed to do with my children’s nappies?
We cannot currently recycle disposable nappies in this area – although the first recycling plant for nappies in the UK opened earlier this year, in the Midlands. For the time being, disposable nappies go in the green bin.

You can minimise smells by using nappy sacks, alternatively try out cloth nappies as an alternative to disposables. Modern ones are a great improvement on the old-fashioned terry-towelling nappies and there’s lots of information online about reusable nappies and nappy laundering services. Click on the link at the bottom of the page for information about real nappies.

Date Updated: 08/03/13