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75% of households will see a change to their waste collection day from February 22nd

25/01/21

Cardiff will benefit from cleaner streets under new plans which will change the way waste and recyclables are collected across the city.

Letters and information leaflets are being sent to every household in the city from January 26th, to inform residents about the changes and how they could be affected.

The new collection rounds will then begin from Tuesday, February 23rdwith the aim of seeing:

  • Waste and recycling off the streets by 3.30pm;
  • Cleaner-looking neighbourhoods as waste will be on-street awaiting collection for a much-shorter time than happens now;
  • The end of confusion for residents when collection days are pushed to the next day on Bank Holiday Monday weeks. Under the new system collection days will not alter on Bank Holiday Monday Weeks; and
  • Waste and recycling from flats and apartments will be collected by a dedicated crew. This will help ensure they have access to these developments, reducing missed collections.

The new collections system will see the council adopt a four-day-week, single-shift collection model. All waste collections will take place between 6am and 3.45pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays only. Waste collections will take place on Good Friday, but there will be impacts on bank holidays that do not fall on a Monday but information will be provided to residents about these arrangements closer to the time.

To ensure the new system works 75% of households in the city will have to see a change to their waste collection day and/or a change to the week they put their black wheelie bin or red striped bags and their green waste out for collection.The days that hygiene waste and bulky waste is collected will change too.

Cabinet Member for Clean Streets and Recycling, Cllr Michael Michael, said: "We are confident these changes will really improve the service we provide to our residents. Waste will only be on the streets for collection four days of the week as opposed to five and we aim to have it all collected by 3.30pm. People will be returning home from work to cleaner streets without bags or waste out in the street. It should make a huge difference across the city and will also reduce the time available for animals or gulls to attack general waste bags or recycling which have incorrectly had food placed in them."

To ensure all the city's waste can be collected over four days rather than five the council is introducing an additional 24 refuse trucks and 20 new full-time jobs.

The Council currently operates 39 Refuse Collection Vehicles (RCV), which are used on a two-shift system, but the fleet will now increase to 68, including fleet reserves, which will work the new one-shift system from Tuesdays to Fridays.

Cllr Michael, added: "To ensure that residents are informed about the new arrangements, the council will be writing to every household in the city. We will also provide information on the council's Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. There will be details on our website Cardiff.gov.uk and on the council's app, which can be downloaded by searching for Cardiff Gov on both Apple and Android products, or by visiting  www.cardiff.gov.uk/app 

"The app is a fantastic way for people to know when their collection day is and also to know what waste to leave out for collection. It's easy to download. Thousands of residents have already done so.

"Letters will begin delivery from January 26th.Each household in Cardiff will have a letter containing information about their own specific collection date so they know exactly what goes out when. Some households will keep the same pattern for collection days and weeks. However, the majority will change. So please keep an eye out for your letter from January 26thonwards.There will also be an insert/card with information on the changes, which can be pinned on a noticeboard or placed in the home as a reminder.

"Information will also be uploaded onto the Council's website -  www.cardiff.gov.uk/collections  - and on the Cardiff Gov app and information on your new waste collection day will be available online and through all our digital channels after your waste collection this week. (January 25th- January 29th.)

"Just like now, food waste and recyclables will still be collected every week, general waste will be collected fortnightly, as will green garden waste once garden collections start up again in the spring."

As part of the new system some wards in the city have been split by the council for operational reasons.

The Heath has been split into Heath East and Heath West; Pontprennau and Old St Mellons have been separated, as have Creigiau and St Fagans.

The letters to each household will make it clear exactly which collection scheme a property is part of.

Under the new arrangements, green garden waste will be collected fortnightly from Tuesday, March 16th.