Environmental services contract FAQs

We have put together a list of questions with their answers, about our waste collection contract.

Who is the current contractor and why were they chosen?

Serco Integrated Services were chosen because they offered the most environmentally-friendly, efficient and cost effective service, offering value for money for the residents of Charnwood. The new contract worth £32 million, started on August 1, 2009, and will run until June 28, 2020.

The contract will generate savings of £2.4 million for the council in the first two years, which can be used to enable investment in other services, and to keep costs down for residents.

What is Serco responsible for?

• Collecting refuse and recycling from the kerbside of properties
• Cleaning the streets
• Emptying litter bins
• Collecting bulky household waste, such as old furniture
• Increasing the amount of bulky waste diverted from landfill through re-use

Could my collection day change?

Maybe. As part of Serco’s bid, they were asked to reduce their carbon footprint. One way they aim to achieve this is to make the refuse collection rounds more efficient. When further information is available, this will be conveyed to residents, and will also be available on our website.

What changes have been made to the waste collection service and how will this make recycling easier?

In 2011 green wheelie bins were introduced replacing the purple sack and the green box. This makes it easier for residents to recycle as all recycling materials are collected from one bin-the green wheelie bin. By waiting until 2011, it gave plenty of time to ensure the correct systems were in place before the collections changed.

Will this be the same for rural properties?

Yes. Most rural properties are now using wheeled bins for their non-recyclable household waste, and where deemed appropriate will receive wheelie bins for their recycling too. 

Are school and university recycling collections affected?

Schools mirror the changes domestic properties face, by already switching to a single recycling sack in August 2009, and then to a wheelie bin for recycling in 2011. No glass is currently collected from schools, and it isn’t anticipated that this will change.

The university had already switched to a single recycling sack and then switched to green bins (either wheelie or Eurobins) for recycling in 2011.

What changes were made to the street cleaning service?

Every street in Charnwood has been categorised into a zone, labelled 1, 2, 3 or 4. These zones have been set according to the Environmental Protection Act (1990) Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse, and depend on the level of usage of particular areas.

For more information, please refer to the Code of Practice on litter and refuse, which is available on the Gov UK site.

How does this contract improve customer service?

It helps to make recycling easier and more convenient for residents. It results in cleaner streets whilst saving money. One requirement of the contract is that Serco reduces the current carbon emissions of the service. Serco are aiming to reduce carbon emissions by 40%, potentially by re-routing the collection rounds, and using vehicles powered by bio-diesel.