If your waste is not collected

If the collection vehicle cannot reach you

Icy roads, extreme cold or heavy snowfall may delay or prevent collection. If we need to stop a route, for example due to cold weather, snow or ice, we will carry out extra collections as soon as conditions allow.

Leave your bin out until it has been emptied.

If routes are cancelled or interrupted, we publish updates on our service information page.

If the collection vehicle cannot access your bin

If the collection vehicle cannot reach your bin, it will be recorded as an issue. The bin will not be emptied during that route.

If this happens, you need to order an extra collection (for a fee) if you cannot wait until the next scheduled collection.

Keep in mind:

• Bins must be placed at the designated collection point
• Handles and wheels should face away from the road
• Bins must not be placed on cycle paths or in the road

Snow, placement and frozen waste

For your waste to be collected, the bin must be correctly placed and cleared of snow around it. The area should also be free from ice.

Sometimes snow clearing takes place after you have left home. This can create a snowbank that makes the bin inaccessible. In that case, the bin cannot be emptied.

What you can do

• Move the bin to the designated collection point
• Make sure it does not block snow clearing or traffic
• Check after snow clearing that the bin can still be reached
• Brush snow off the lid

If the bin cannot be emptied

If the bin has not been cleared of snow and cannot be emptied, it will be recorded as an issue. You can then order an extra collection for a fee.

The driver makes an on-site assessment based on safety and working conditions.

Prevent waste from freezing

Frozen waste can prevent the bin from being fully emptied. Both food waste and plastic bags can freeze when temperatures drop.

Tip: Place the waste bag in a lidded container and leave it outside for a short time so it freezes. The lid prevents animals from pulling out the contents.

If the waste freezes, you can try to loosen it carefully, for example using the back of a broom.
You can also lay the bin on its side and gently turn it until the waste comes loose.

Responsibility

As a property owner, you are responsible for making sure the bin can be emptied.

Waste that remains stuck in the bin after emptying is not considered a missed collection. It will remain until the next collection.

You need to make sure the waste is loose before then. If you want it emptied earlier, you can order an extra collection for a fee.