Glass collections to start - in Potters Bar

Residents in Potters Bar will be the first in the borough to receive a new bin to recycle glass and other additional items at home.

A brown wheelie bin will replace the black box for most people in the borough.  Everything that went into your black box can go in the brown bin - plastic bottles, food tins, drink cans and aerosols - as well as all glass bottles and jars, drinks cartons/Tetra Paks, and a wider range of plastic items such as yoghurt pots, margarine/butter tubs, microwave meal trays and carrier bags. 

Councillor Jean Heywood, Environment Portfolio Holder, said: "Including glass and items such as yoghurt pots in our kerbside collections is something residents have asked for, so it's great news we are now able to introduce this new scheme thanks to a special grant.

"Recycling has many benefits.  It reduces the amount of waste sent to landfill - which is really important as sites are rapidly running out of space - and it also saves energy and lessens our impact on the planet's limited resources."

The new bins are due to start being rolled out in Potters Bar next week, with deliveries expected to reach Shenley, Borehamwood and Radlett later in September, and Elstree and Bushey in October.

Some residents in Potters Bar already have a brown bin which they use for green waste so they will get a green wheelie bin instead.  The green bin should be used for green waste e.g. garden waste, food waste and cardboard and their existing brown bin should be used for glass, cartons, plastics and cans. 

Councillor Heywood added: "Hertsmere's recycling rate is around 40% thanks to the efforts of our residents so the collection of additional items will help us build on this and hopefully we will be up to 50% by 2012."

Please start using your new bin as soon as you get it.  

Old black boxes can be used for storage or anything else you fancy but if you want to get rid of it you can take it to the council's Area Office at The Wyllyotts Centre in Darkes Lane or to the Civic Offices in Borehamwood.  If you are unable to do this please contact us and we will collect it. 

If you feel you don't have enough room to store another bin, please contact us and we will pick it up.  Or if you have difficulty putting your bins out for collection, and no one else in your home can do it, please contact us to arrange an assisted collection.    

Further information - including a full list of what can go in what bin - is being left with bins as they are delivered but if you have any queries in the meantime, email street.scene@hertsmere.gov.uk or call 020 8207 7480.