How to order recycling, food, and garden waste containers

Wheeled Bin Charges

From 1st April 2024 there will be a £18.26 administration and delivery charge for any new and replacement wheeled bins.

All residents, whether new or existing householders will have to pay for any replacement wheeled bin. This includes lost, damaged or additional capacity bins. Recycling receptacles will remain free of charge.

Payment for the lost or damaged replacement containers can be made online at Merthyr.gov.uk or at the Civic Centre reception. Payment for additional capacity bins can be made to an authorised officer of the council following the successful application for the container.

If you have a bin at your property when delivery is attempted, a bin will not be delivered but you will still be charged.

A list of frequently asked questions has been provided below which should address the majority of queries. For further information please contact the Support Service on wasteservices@merthyr.gov.uk

FAQs

Why do I have to pay for my waste containers?

The council has been operating from a reduced budget position for a number of years and has to continue to make significant savings and therefore can no longer afford to provide this service for free. The waste container charging policy has been introduced to encourage residents to take responsibility for the containers provided and to reduce demand for replacement containers.

Why does my council tax not cover this cost?

The proportion of your council tax that is attributed to waste services is very small. The service is also funded from other sources. As these funding streams and budget reductions increase, the council can no longer afford to provide replacement bins free of charge.

What is the charge actually covering?

The charge is for the costs of administration and delivery. It does not cover the cost of the bin(s) and the bin(s) remain the property of the council.

Is the council making money by charging for wheeled bins?

The council is not making money by charging for wheeled bins, it is only covering its administration and delivery costs. The council has replaced tens of thousands of wheeled bins free of charge over recent years. Unfortunately the council can no longer afford to provide this service free of charge.

Can I avoid the admin charge by collecting my new bin from the depot?

No, waste containers are available by delivery only.

How am I supposed to stop my waste containers being stolen - It’s not my fault and I’m being charged for it.

There are several things you can do to help prevent this occurring:

Use a permanent marker to clearly mark your address on your bin

Where possible, do not place your bin out for collection the night before as this means more time for it to go missing. Containers should be placed outside for collection before 7:00am

Try and ensure that your bin is brought back in as soon as possible after the collection. Your neighbour may be able to help with this

How can I pay for my bins?

Payment for the lost or damaged replacement containers can be made on-line at Merthyr.gov.uk or at the Civic Centre reception. Payment for additional capacity bins can be made to an authorised officer of the council following the successful application for the container.

Can I buy my own bins from elsewhere?

No, to ensure that we meet the relevant, EN standard and that they match council bin specification (e.g. colours and current sizes for each type of bin and include the Merthyr Tydfil CBC logo). Only one bin will be emptied per property.

What happens if I don’t pay for bins?

The council has a legal requirement under Section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (EPA) to collect household waste. Section 46 says that the local authority can define the kind of bin to be used and require the occupier to pay for it.

Residents who decline to pay for the supply of a waste container may be served with a Section 46 notice under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and or other relevant legislation. The notice will require the provision by the householder of the necessary containers for their waste. Failure to comply with this notice may lead to the issuing of a fixed penalty notice and or prosecution by the council, if the resident puts rubbish out in an unauthorised container.

Residents may prefer to dispose of their rubbish themselves and can take their rubbish to one of our Household Waste Recycling Centres, rather than pay for a replacement bin. There is a full list of locations on the Household Waste Recycling Centres page. No unsorted waste is accepted at the HRCs so bagged waste will have to be sorted into the various material containers.

What happens if my bin is damaged by the collection crew or falls into the back of the collection vehicle?

If a container is damaged and the fault lies with the council’s collection crew, this will be recorded and a new container will be delivered free of charge. A note will be posted through your letter box to advise you that this has happened. This excludes any damage caused by overfilling the container, placing inappropriate items in it or reasonable wear and tear.

I’ve moved house and there are no waste containers at my new address, do I have to pay for my bins?

Yes, you will have to pay. If you rent your house from a private or social landlord you could approach them to pay for your bin(s). You may need to read your tenancy agreement to see if this is mentioned.

How will my bins(s) be delivered?

Your bin will be delivered within 10 working days following your payment. Where possible the bin will be delivered within the curtilage of your property and a delivery note will be posted through your door.

What happens if I only need a replacement lid or wheels?

Once the bin is damaged, in any way, it will need to be replaced. Faulty bins can present potential Health & Safety hazards. Returned bins will be sent for recycling.

Can I take the waste containers with me if I move house?

If you move house, the bins will need to remain at the property you are moving from. You should check on the property you are moving to and ensure bins are in place if they are not you should discuss this with your new landlord or seller of the property.

Does the charge apply to all additional and replacement waste container requests?

No. The charge applies to black refuse bins. Garden waste bags and other recycling containers will be replaced free of charge. The charge will apply to each replacement bin that you request if you continue to lose or damage them.

I need a bin but cannot pay right now, what shall I do?

Unfortunately, we will not be able to provide a replacement or additional bin before payment has been received and you will need to dispose your waste legally in the interim.

Can I pay in part payments?

We cannot take part payment and a container can only be delivered once the full payment has been received.

Will the crews return the containers after collection to the property because that is when the containers go missing?

All collection crews must return containers after emptying to the place the container was collected from. Please ensure that you clearly number your containers to avoid this going missing and to help both you and crews to identify which address the container ‘belongs’ to.

What if I have seen my neighbour take my container into their property?

You must try to retrieve your container by firstly speaking to your neighbour and if unsuccessful contact the Police.

My container has split will I still have to pay for a container?

Yes

I am not willing to purchase a container and will be putting out black bags on collection day - will these be collected?

This waste will not be collected by the crews and will be investigated by our enforcement Wardens and may lead to prosecution. You will be served with a Section 46 notice under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and or other relevant legislation. Failure to comply with this notice may lead to the issuing of a fixed penalty notice and or prosecution by the council.

Are there discounts for OAPs or benefit claimants?

No, there are no concessions.

Can I have more than one bin?

No

There is a maximum capacity of one 140l bin per property. Residents that have exceptional circumstances can apply for a larger 240l bin.

If you have moved to a new property, or your bin/recycling container has been lost, stolen or damaged, you can let us know by completing the request a bin or recycling container form below and we can send a new container to you, free of charge.Recycling Containers

We encourage households to recycle as much as possible, therefore additional recycling boxes, reusable recycling sacks, reusable garden sacks and food bins, food caddies and food caddy liners are available on request free of charge.

Replacement Bins

All householders are permitted to have 1 x 140 litre wheelie bin emptied every two weeks. Any additional bins presented at the property will be removed.

Refuse bins are designed to be emptied safely from a closed lid position, which helps to avoid any unnecessary mishaps during collections; therefore any overloaded bins must be rejected and not emptied.

Overloading refuse bins and/or presenting side waste for collection could result in further action being taken against the householder – if you are overloading your refuse bin or placing side waste out for collection you will receive a red tag on the bin informing you of reasons why your refuse has not been collected, followed by an explanatory letter that will lead to legal proceedings being instigated if any further offences are committed.

If you are a larger household and are making full use of the weekly recycling and food waste service, you can request a larger bin for waste that cannot be recycled. You can do this online via our apply for a larger capacity bin form.