MORE than 120,000 Somerset homes will see changes to their rubbish and recycling collections next year.
Somerset Council is set to write to affected households in the new year to outline changes, which will come into force in February 2024.
The changes come as new collection routes are introduced by Somerset Council’s contractor, SUEZ recycling and recovery UK, which the firm says will make rounds more efficient, more manageable for crews while reducing mileage and carbon emissions.
The changes will affect around 85% of homes in the west of the county, covering the former Sedgemoor and Somerset West and Taunton areas, as well as a small part of South Somerset.
Anyone with a change to their collection day schedule will be written to twice before anything changes, the council said, first with a letter in January.
Roughly three weeks after the letter arrives, residents will receive a service guide, including a collection day calendar for the next 18 months.
“It is important residents know their new collection days – crews will not be able to come back for either recycling or refuse if you miss your new collection day,” a Somerset Council spokesperson said.
“Because some towns and villages will be covered by more than one route, days may change for some households but not others.”
Residents may have:
* a change to collection day
* a change in week that their rubbish is collected
* a one-off interim rubbish collection
There will be no changes to:
* collection days for garden waste subscribers
* clinical waste collections
* communal property collections with shared collections (such as blocks of flats, houses of multiple occupancy and retirement developments)
* schools waste collections
Changes to routes and collection days for the rest of the county – in the former Mendip and South Somerset areas – are expected to be introduced in June 2024.
Councillor Dixie Darch, executive lead member for climate and environment, said: “We’re writing to every household that will have a change to their collection day.
“Please keep an eye out for your letter in the New Year. If you don’t receive a letter this means that your day is staying the same.
“The changes will make the collections more efficient and help us to reduce carbon emissions.
“Please make a note of your new collection day and possible interim rubbish collection. Crews can’t return for missed collections where bins are not out on the right day.”
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