Households in Mid-Cornwall will be delivered new bins in the coming weeks ahead of a new waste, recycling and rubbish service being launched in mid-January.
Residents in Newquay, St Columb, St Austell, China Clays, Grampound, Gorran Haven, Mevagissey, Par, St Blazey, Fowey, and Lostwithiel, along with their surrounding areas will receive a kitchen caddy, an outdoor caddy and a wheelie bin or a re-usable protective sack.
Cornwall Council is issuing the new bins ahead of introducing the new weekly food waste as well as fortnightly recycling and rubbish collections, which will aim to reduce waste and create a greener future for the Duchy.
The kitchen caddy is designed to sit on the kitchen counter or under the sink to make it easier for people to collect and compost their food scraps.
The bags are to be filled up with food waste such as vegetable peelings, apple cores, leftovers, teabags and any unwanted food.
The outdoor caddy sits outside the kitchen and will help ensure proper storage and easy disposal of food waste.
Cornwall Council said it has a lockable handle on the top to deter vermin and to make it easier for waste operatives to empty.
Most households will get a wheelie bin, but residents will receive a reusable protective sack if a bin is not right for their property.
The black, hardened plastic wheelie bin will take about three to four black bin bags, filled with everything that cannot be recycled.
The new county-wide programme is being rolled out area-by-area in five geographical stages between 2023 and 2025 with Mid-Cornwall the first region to see the changes.
South East Cornwall will be next, followed by West Cornwall, North East Cornwall and finally Mid-West, which includes Truro, Falmouth, Redruth and Camborne.
The council says the change will reduce Cornwall’s annual carbon emissions by nearly 18,000 tonnes of CO2 each year.
Councillor James Mustoe said: “With Mid-Cornwall at the front of the shortly arriving changes to waste and recycling, Cornwall Council have started putting leaflets out to all households giving information on the new arrangements.
“To recap, Cornwall Council is introducing new weekly food waste and fortnightly recycling and rubbish collections in the area from mid-January 2024. Once the new service starts, residents will need to start separating their food waste from rubbish ready to put out every week for the council to collect in their new food waste caddy.
“If households are not already, they’ll need to recycle their cardboard, glass, plastics, cans, paper and textiles.
“This is because Cornwall Council will start collecting rubbish fortnightly and, in line with most other councils, will only take rubbish put out in the bin it gives households with the lid closed.
“If households are separating their food waste and recycling, their rubbish should fit in a wheelie bin or sack – it holds about three to four black bags’ worth.
“Cornwall Council will collect more rubbish from some households under certain circumstances which they will explain in the instruction leaflet when they deliver the green caddy.
“They may need to change the day they collect the waste from households. Cornwall Council will send residents in Mid-Cornwall a new collection calendar in December.
“It will include information on the new collection day, if resident’s collection day is changing, and the date the new service starts. People will get a silver kitchen caddy and a starter pack of liners for separating their food waste as well as a green outdoor collection caddy.
“Cornwall Council says it has assessed all properties and are giving most a 180-litre wheelie bin for their rubbish.
“A small number that are unable to store a bin, have too many steps or are serviced by a specialist vehicle will get a 180-litre reusable protective with a delivery window available to view online in October.
“When the bin or sack arrives, if people think they’ve assessed the property incorrectly and it won’t work for their home, they can apply to review the assessment.
“Details will be provided in the instruction leaflet to be delivered inside the green caddy.”
• Newquay Library are holding sessions for people to find out more about the upcoming changes to the waste services.
One will be taking place tomorrow at 4pm and there will be further sessions on November 9, January 4 and February 1.