New or replacement bins

Due to significant cuts from Central Government the council has 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. The council will repair any containers that become damaged or un-serviceable as a result of the collection process, as soon as reasonably practicable and free of charge.

Please see our current fees and charges.

Due to the current financial situation, the council is under increased pressure to save money. The charges we are introducing will solely cover the cost of the containers, their delivery and the administration of this service.

Householders are responsible for looking after their containers and residents are being encouraged to take steps to keep them safe. If your container is lost, stolen or damaged beyond repair a charge may be made for a replacement.

The charge covers the costs of the container, storage, transportation, administration and delivery.  It does not cover the sale of the container(s) to you and the container(s) remain the property of the council.

The council is not making money by charging for containers, it is only covering its costs. The council can no longer afford to provide this service free of charge due to the demand for replacement containers.

Please check that it hasn’t been left at a neighbour’s property or further down the street.

We will be making a charge to replace stolen containers to encourage residents to take responsibility for their containers and to bring them in after they have been emptied.

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

• Use a permanent marker to clearly mark your address on your container
• Do not place your container out for collection the night before as this means more time for it to go missing. Containers should be placed outside for collection before 6:00am 
• Try and ensure that your container is brought back in as soon as possible after the collection. Your neighbour may be able to help with this.

Payment may be made through the Gateway in advance of ordering your replacement containers. Payment by card can be done over the telephone by calling our Customer Services team on 01843 577115. Online payments will be available later in the year.

No, they must be purchased from The Council to ensure they are of the required standard and compatible with the lifting equipment on our vehicles.

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.

Unfortunately, we will not be able to provide a replacement or additional container before payment has been received.  You will need to dispose of your waste legally in the interim. If you are unable to contain your waste or recycling outside of your property, items can be taken to the local tip.

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

We have set clear prices for all containers which cover the cost of the container, administration and delivery, so our prices are the same for all residents.

No. All residents will be charged the same standard rates for containers.

Only households where there are 5 or more permanent residents at the property will be able to purchase an additional black lidded bin. Householders who are struggling to contain their waste in one bin should be encouraged to look at the waste that is going into their black lidded bin to see if they can be recycling more.

Residents are entitled to have one black refuse container as standard, which we will empty. This is because refuse sent to landfill or treatment costs the taxpayer a significant amount of money. However recycling saves money for the taxpayer, therefore you may have as many recycling containers as you can utilise.

No, waste containers are available by delivery only.

If a container is damaged and the fault lies with the council’s collection crew or the collection process, this will be recorded and a new container will be delivered as soon as reasonably practicable and free of charge.  This excludes any damage caused by overfilling the container, placing inappropriate items in it or reasonable wear and tear.

Your containers will be delivered outside your property. A delivery note will be posted through the letter box. We keep a record of the date and time of delivery.

In the unlikely event that you have nothing to contain your refuse or recycling in whilst waiting for a replacement container, we will try to make sure your waste is collected and will advise you on how to present it suitably for collection. Alternatively, you can take any items to the local tip (www.kent.gov.uk/waste-planning-and-land/rubbish-and-recycling/find-your-nearest-tip)

Yes, you will have to pay. If you rent your house from a private or social landlord you should approach them to pay for your container(s).

If they can be repaired we will do so free of charge. Replacements will be chargeable and should be purchased by the owner of the property. You will need to approach your landlord about this.

No- if you move house, the containers will need to remain at the property you are moving from.  You should check on the property you are moving to and ensure containers are in place. If they are not you should discuss this with your new landlord or seller of the property. Garden waste containers are dealt with differently, as this is a paid for service, and whilst you generally can take these with you, you need to check with us first to make sure you are moving to an area that we collect from.

The council will repair any containers that become damaged or un-serviceable as a result of the collection process, as soon as reasonably practicable and free of charge. Residents will need to report this type of damage to us.

The charge applies to all containers. The charge will apply to each replacement container you request.

Yes. However to keep your bag in good condition and prolong its useful life we recommend you store it inside your blue recycling container, some residents find that placing a garden cane through the handles and suspending it across the top of the bin useful. Or try to keep it undercover elsewhere, out of the elements.

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 them going missing and to help both you and the crews to identify which address the container ‘belongs’ to.

You must try to retrieve your container by firstly speaking to your neighbour and if unsuccessful contact the Police because this is classed as theft.

Yes, you will still be required to pay the charge for the container, please ensure that you are not overfilling your container which can result in it splitting.

This waste will not be collected by the crews and this may lead to prosecution and this waste will be investigated by our staff.

You will 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.

Refuse, especially food waste, placed out in sacks is much more likely to attract pests and dumping of rubbish, which will affect your neighbours as well as you.