Households in MK are taking part in a waste and recycling pilot to swap from plastic boxes to plastic sacks following feedback from households worried about wheelie bin storage.
In September, the vast majority of Milton Keynes households will move to wheelie bins, following consultation and a pilot involving thousands of residents.
Issues have been raised since the announcement over homes in Milton Keynes which are not suitable for wheelie bins - the City Council says it has been testing alternatives including putting paper and card into a red sack, and plastic, cans and bottles into a blue sack.
Those who will have wheelie bins from September will have:
- a black wheelie bin for waste that cannot be recycled
- a wheelie bin with a red lid for paper and card
- a wheelie bin with a blue lid for plastic, metals and glass
- a yellow battery bag
- no change to the food and garden waste wheelie bin
Since 2020, residents in parts of New Bradwell have been trialling plastic boxes as an alternative to wheelie bins.
Now, the City Council is changing the trial from 20 February and will ask participants to put their recycling into red and blue stronger plastic sacks instead.
In addition, some residents in Netherfield who have not yet been part of a waste collection pilot will also be testing the new red and blue sacks.
Households will receive the new sacks during next week, along with an information leaflet and handy collection calendar.
New wheelie bins for September 2023
It was announced last month that Milton Keynes City Council had awarded a new contract to SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK Ltd to collect MK’s waste, keep streets clean, and maintain council owned green spaces and play areas.
The contract starts in September 2023 alongside the vast majority of Milton Keynes 119,000 households moving to wheelie bins.
More than 300,000 bins and accompanying waste vehicles will be manufactured and delivered to MK for summer 2023 in a massive logistical operation.
Following an extensive formal tender process by the City Council, SUEZ has been appointed on a five-year contract, with the opportunity to extend the contract further.
Interim Cabinet Member for the Public Realm, Cllr Paul Trendall said: “We’d like to thank everyone who has been part of this important trial since 2020; their feedback has been incredibly helpful in determining what’s best for homes that can’t accommodate wheelie bins.
"Over the spring we’ll be explaining to local people what’s coming and when. We’ll also be offering assisted collections to residents who might not be able to move a bin themselves."
“Modernising how we collect waste and recycling – while not forgetting that one system won’t be right for everyone - will help the city be even cleaner, greener, and safer.”
