Contact Us

Address:
The Guildhall
Frankwell Quay
Shrewsbury
SY3 8HQ
 
Telephone:
01743 281000
 
email:

Household Waste

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SABC has a duty to collect household waste. In addition it can provide a collection service for commercial waste, although private contractors are also available to provide this service.

How do you collect domestic waste?

Most residents are provided with wheeled bins in which to store their refuse, others, where the use of a wheeled bin is not practical are provided with black sacks free of charge. Some such as those who live in apartment blocks have the use of communal containers.All residents in Shrewsbury and Atcham borough have a weekly collection from their homes. Collections usually take place on the same day of each week, but the schedule can be disrupted by public holidays. In these instances the norm is for collections to be a day late, with Friday and Saturday collections taking place on a Saturday. Good Friday collections normally remain unchanged. Normal collections resume the next full working week. Schedule revisions are usually publicised in the local press and on SABC's website, and at Christmas time in a leaflet delivered to borough households.

Residents with wheeled bins are asked to leave their bin at the edge of their property next to the highway at 7am on their day of collection. They will be emptied and returned to the edge of the property. We will not empty a wheeled bin if:

  • It is over-filled
  • It contains inappropriate materials
  • It is placed out for collection on a non-scheduled day (for exceptions see above)
  • It is not placed out for collection on the scheduled day.

We will only collect what is in the wheeled bin - any side or excess waste will not be collected regardless of whether it is in SABC black sacks. Please make use of the recycling services to minimise your waste. Residents should not place their bin for collection earlier than the evening before their collection day.

Normally in any of the above instances residents will be notified of a problem by a note left with the bin, or by post, or telephone call.

Residents with plastic sacks are asked to leave their sacks at the edge of their property next to the highway at 7am on their day of collection. SABC will collect 2 sacks from each household each week. A six-monthly supply of sacks will be delivered free on request - contact the Public Amenities department.

Sacks will be collected if:

  • They are manageable
  • They are tied
  • They are placed out for collection at the correct time

Sacks will not be collected if:

  • They are too heavy
  • They contain inappropriate materials
  • They are placed out for collection on a non-scheduled day (for exceptions see above)
  • They are not placed out for collection on the scheduled day
  • They are split
  • They are not tied
  • They are not SABC refuse sacks

Residents should not place their sack for collection earlier than the evening before their collection day.

Normally in any of the above instances residents will be notified of a problem by a note left near the property, or by post, or telephone call. Residents using a communal bin will need to provide their own sacks. Please consult the manager of the building for specific details as arrangements are made according to the requirements/restrictions of the building. Residents will not normally need to move containers for collection. Containers will not be emptied if:

  • They are overfilled
  • They contain inappropriate materials

How can I get a wheeled bin?

Wheeled bins were issued to most properties in 1997 by SABC. The bin remains the property of the Council and must be left with the property when you move house. Properties without wheeled bins can request one free of charge but please bear in mind that the bin must be stored off the public highway on non-collection days. For properties with restricted storage space the Council may offer a small wheeled bin (140ltr), subject to restrictions and conditions - please contact the Public Amenities department to see if you qualify, or consider using black sacks. For households with five members or over a larger wheeled bin is available subject to conditions - apply in writing to the Public Amenities department.

If your bin is broken through general wear and tear, or damage has occurred during collection the Council will repair or replace free of charge - call the Public Amenities department to report such an incident.  However if a wheeled bin has been damaged through misuse a charge will be made for its repair or replacement.

You may want to mark your bin in some way to identify it from others. This can be done with paint, or stickers that are readily available from hardware shops. If you do so please take care to not damage the bin. It is your responsibility to keep your wheeled bin clean. You can either clean it yourself (a rinse every month or so is usually more than sufficient) or contact a private specialist company - check the local telephone directory for details.

How can I get black sacks?

Black sacks are supplied free of charge to households that do not have the provision for a wheeled bin. They are usually delivered in six-month batches by the Public Amenities department. Please see the previous sections for instruction on how to correctly use your black sacks.

If you are using black sacks but would like to have a wheeled bin instead please call the Public Amenities department for further advice.

What if my collection is missed?

Please contact the Public Amenities department on 01743 281155, or complete our online form to report your uncollected bin. Before contacting please check the following:

  • Was the bin/sack in the correct place for collection?
  • Do the crews have access to the bin/sack?
  • Have you complied with the guidelines set out previously?

If the answer to all of the above is yes then contact the department and collection will be arranged, usually within the next 24 hours. You will be informed if we cannot collect your refuse and be given a reason why.

What if I am unable to move my sacks/wheeled bin to the kerbside for collection?

The Council provides a discretionary 'pull and return' service for residents unable to place their bin/sacks out for collection. This is usually due to illness or disability. If you think you qualify for the pull and return service please contact the Public Amenities department who will assess your situation. You may need a note from your Doctor or health service provider. The pull and return service allows you to leave your bin/sacks outside the front or back door of your property provided there is easy access for our crews to collect.

What about bulky items?

For information please look at our BHA Collections page.

Do you collect asbestos?

Please contact the department for advice, by email or phoning 01743 281155.

The standards you can expect

We try to maintain the highest standards in our refuse collection work. We monitor:

  • The cost of waste collection
  • The percentage of missed collections, and the number of these put right by the end of the next working day
  • The waiting times for BHA collections
  • Your satisfaction with the service we provide

We report on our performance in these and other areas in our Best Value Performance Plan every April, and also publish our targets for improving performance.