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Black Box & Blue Bag Scheme

How to use the scheme

Your paper and cardboard should be placed in your blue bag for collection. Plastic bottles, cans, glass bottles and jars should be placed in your black box for collection.

 

Both your blue bag and black box will be collected every two weeks, both on the same day. Please ensure that they are out on the kerbside by 7am on the morning of your collection.

 

If your box or bag is full you can put additional items out for collection but please make sure that these can be clearly identified as recycling – your rubbish may be collected on the same day and we do not want these items ending up in landfill.

 

 

What can I put in my Black Box for collection?

 

 

• Glass bottles and glass jars
• Food tins, drink cans, biscuit tins, sweet tins
• Plastic bottles (pop, squash, shampoo, bleach etc)
• Please wash and squash your containers where possible.
• Please do not put broken glass or items with sharp edges in the box.
• Please remove plastic lids where possible, these cannot currently be recycled.

 

Please note: The above items can be put loose in your black box; you no longer need to separate items into carrier bags.

 

 

 

 

What can I put in my Blue Bag for collection?

 

 

• Newspapers
• Magazines
• Directories
• Catalogues
• Paper
• Junk mail
• Holiday brochures
• Cardboard packaging
• Yellow pages
• Cardboard boxes
• Cereal boxes
• Toilet rolls
• Any form of cardboard packaging

 

Please Note:

• The above items can be put loose in your blue bag
• you no longer need to separate items into carrier bags
• Please pack your bag carefully to prevent litter from being blown around your street
• Large cardboard should be broken down into ‘dustbin sized’ pieces and placed safely near your blue bag for collection
• Do not overload your bag – please make sure it can easily be lifted and emptied by one person.
• Any items not listed will be left in your box or bag for you to dispose of as other items could contaminate the recycling process.

 

Why recycle this waste?

• Less waste is buried in landfill sites, which is better for our environment
• Useful materials are used again and again
• Recycling saves energy
• It helps Dover District Council meet its government targets, which are set to protect our environment

 

Some questions that you may have…

Is a bigger box available?

• The black box is one of the largest on the market for this purpose. If you have too much recycling for one box you can put additional items out, but please make sure that these can be clearly identified as recycling. Please keep your paper and card separate from plastic bottles, cans, glass bottles and jars.

 

One bag is not enough, can I have another?

• A report has been carried out which shows that on average one blue bag per household would be sufficient, however if you have too much it can be put out for recycling in alternative bags but please make sure that it can be clearly identified as recycling and kept separate from plastic bottles, cans and glass.

 

Can I still use my black box for everything?

• No the paper and cardboard needs to be kept separate from the plastic bottles, cans and glass due to the way in which it will now be collected.

 

How will it be collected?

• The new collection vehicle looks like the vehicle that collects your refuse, however it is split into two compartments at the back. Cardboard and paper will go into one side and plastic bottles cans and glass will go into the other side.

 

What happens once it is collected?

• The paper and cardboard will be taken to Aylesford Newsprint, where they will separate the paper and card. Newspaper will be recycled on site and the cardboard will be taken to Smurfitt Cappa in Kent. The container mix will be transported to Veolia in Rainham where the glass is removed by a machine, the metal cans are removed by a magnet and the aluminium via an electric current. The plastic is left on the belt and any unwanted plastic, or items are removed.

 

What sort of plastic can be recycled?

• Any form of plastic bottle can be recycled, pop, squash, shampoo, bleach, as long as it is a bottle it can be recycled in your black box.

 

Do I need to wash the containers?

• This is not necessary, however we do ask that consideration be given to our recycling crews, as they have to handle the waste to empty it into the vehicle. Also as this waste could be stored for two weeks, it will not attract vermin / animals if it is washed prior to collection.

 

Do I need to take the lids off the plastic bottles?

• Yes, we ask that you remove the lids as they are made of a different polymer and cannot currently be recycled in the scheme.

 

Why can I not recycle my plastic trays?

• At the present time we can only recycle plastic bottles, however it is possible that other plastics will be included at a later date and residents will be advised accordingly.

 

I have large carboard that will not fit into my blue bag?

• Please break this down into dustbin sized pieces and place near your other recycling for collection.

 

Do I still need to use carrier bags in my box?

• No the plastic bottles, cans and glass can be put loose in the box. They will now be collected in this way and put mixed into the collection vehicle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact

Dover District Council Wasteline: 01304 872428

E-mail: waste@dover.gov.uk

 

 

 

 

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