About the 123+ waste collections
What is the 123+ service?
1. A food waste collection, every week
Using a food caddy (a small kitchen caddy for inside your property) and a larger food waste bin to use outside and put out for collection. See the food waste collection FAQs.
2. A recycling collection, every two weeks
Using a new wheeled bin for mixed recycling. This new bin, which we will provide, will replace the current red box/bag recycling containers. See the recycling collection FAQs.
3. Your refuse bin collection will change from every 2 weeks to every 3 weeks
Using your existing grey wheeled bin. See the refuse bin collection FAQs.
+. Garden waste collection every two weeks
Using your existing green bin. Charges apply from 1 August 2022. See the Garden waste collection FAQs.
You can subscribe to the garden waste collection service on our Garden and food waste page.
Watch our short video below that explains how this service will work.
Why are we doing this?
Our current recycling rates exceed the Government’s target of 50%. However, by moving to a 123+ collection system we can recycle even more.
The current contracts for Stratford-on-Avon and Warwick District Councils finish at the same time. This provides us with an opportunity to combine waste and recycling collection under one contract.
We are introducing a new joint waste and recycling collections approach to deliver the 123+ collections service to both Stratford-on-Avon and Warwick districts, serving 126,000 households. This will:
- Help achieve both Councils’ commitment to protecting the environment and tackling issues around climate change.
- Make the service more efficient using new vehicles and smart routing for collections to minimise environmental impact and help us benefit from economies of scale by sharing resources.
- Include the launch of a separate food waste collection to reduce waste and stop harmful greenhouse gases entering our waste streams.
What are the benefits?
The new 123+ service will help to:
- Reduce waste and encourage residents to recycle more
- Save money by reducing the cost of treatment and disposal of refuse
- Make services more efficient using new vehicles and combining collection rounds
- Protect the environment and help tackle climate change
FAQs
Find the answers to all your questions in our frequently asked questions section.
Further information
Video transcript
Your new 123+ recycling and refuse collection service starts on 1 August 2022. Operating across South Warwickshire, the new service will see:
- Food waste collected weekly in a food caddy
- Recycling collected fortnightly in a blue-lidded wheeled bin
- Refuse collected three weekly in your existing grey bin
- Garden waste collected fortnightly in your existing green bin
Food waste
Food waste is the most hazardous type of household waste, which is why we’re collecting all food waste – bones, peelings, scraps and all – every week in a new food caddy.
You’ll receive two caddies – one to use inside the house, and one you’ll put outside each week to be emptied.
You can position the smaller caddy inside your kitchen where you can easily access it. The caddy can be lined with newspaper or a compostable bag, or you can just put it in loose.
Simply put all your food waste in this caddy, then when it’s full, empty it into your outside caddy.
The outside caddy has a lockable lid that prevents it from being tampered with by pests. Place it at the front of your property on the day of your collection, with the lid firmly closed.
Recycling
The blue-lidded wheeled bin will enable you to put all of your recycling into one bin, including TetraPak cartons, black plastics like meat trays and fruit containers and soft plastics.
A full list of what you can put in your recycling bin will be provided to you.
Additional recycling can be placed in a rigid container, a cardboard box, or residents in Warwick District area can reuse their existing red box for this purpose
You’ll also be able to recycle textiles in a separate, sealed bag; and small electrical items that can fit into a carrier bag.
Textiles, small electrical items and household batteries – can be placed out for collection on any week next to your blue-lidded recycling bin, grey waste bin or green garden waste bin.
Refuse
Your grey bin should be used for any household items that can’t be recycled at the roadside, such as foam, polystyrene, nappies, disposable gloves or masks, tissues and crisp tubes.
Garden waste
If you wish to have your garden waste collected, you will need to sign up to our garden waste subscription service.
Applications can be made on the Council’s website. You’ll receive a permit that you need to place on your bin.
You can use your existing green bin, and this subscription service can be used to recycle garden waste such as grass cuttings, branches, leaves and hedge cuttings.
Alternatively, you may wish to pursue home composting.