Across our District, some properties are already eligible for communal waste collection. This involves discarding household waste (e.g. from individual flats or residences) into communal bin stores, which are then emptied by the Council's collection crews in line with the bin calendar.
If you are a property manager, housing officer, warden or resident within one of those properties, the section below includes some specific Q&A on the communal waste collection.
FAQs
How will this work for those who have to use communal bins?
Properties that receive a communal collection (shared bins with other residents) will get a 7-litre indoor kitchen caddy and a 240 litre food waste wheeled bin which will be stored with other communal bins, where you can put your food waste into. The food will be contained within these bins and collected weekly.
We are currently undertaking site surveys and working with property managers to ensure that facilities and communications are suitable for each site.
How large are the communal bins?
Your shared outdoor food waste bin will be a 240-litre wheeled bin.
Will there be enough bins for everyone in my block?
Yes. We’re assessing each site individually to make sure there are enough bins for the number of households.
What should I do if the communal food waste bin is full?
What should I do if the communal food waste bin is full?
If you find a full bin, please report it to the council’s waste services team so we can arrange an additional collection if needed.
Please request an additional collection by visiting the Report a Missed bin page.
What should I do if the communal food waste bin is nearly full or becoming too heavy?
Please avoid overfilling the communal food waste bin. Overfilled bins can become too heavy for safe collection and therefore may not be emptied. We recommend only filling the external bin halfway to ensure safe collection.
If you notice that there isn’t enough space left for food waste disposal, please contact us at wasteminimisation@huntingdonshire.gov.uk.
Who is responsible for cleaning and maintaining the bins?
Communal bins are the responsibility of your property management company.
What happens if someone puts the wrong items into the food waste bin?
Incorrect items can contaminate the food recycling process; therefore, the collection crews will reject the bin and attach a bin hanger to indicate the reason for rejection.
It will be the responsibility of either the residents or the property manager company to ensure the contamination is removed prior to the next scheduled collection. The council will work with property managers to identify issues and provide reminders or education to residents.