Rubbish and Litter, myths and misconceptions exposed

It’s fair to say that there are a lot of myths, misconceptions and confusion surrounding recycling, rubbish, litter and even dog fouling within Carmarthenshire. So, armed with some useful questions, we spoke to Geinor Lewis who is a community recycling advisor.

Geinor is tasked with hitting the streets of Carmarthenshire to support residents and help the county to increase its recycling rate. She is currently working with groups and residents of the Bigyn Ward.

We asked her the following questions.

Rubbish Bags

I have a large family, why can’t I put out more than 4 bags a week?

We have a black bag limit of 4 a fortnight. This is because most of your rubbish (paper, cans, plastic and cardboard) is now recycled in the blue bag and food waste goes in the green bin to be composted.

Most households should not need more than 4 bags. However, if households are struggling to stick to the limit then please get in touch either by calling 01267 234567 or by emailing direct@carmarthenshire.gov.uk There are number of ways in which we can help.

Will I be fined if I put the rubbish out early or if I accidentally put the wrong item in recycling?

If people put out their rubbish too early then animals can tear the bags or the wind will blow it all over the street. It is also important that we recycle as much as we can, the council has recycling targets to meet and if they are not achieved, we could be fined.

If we get complaints of people putting their rubbish out too early or people are putting the wrong items in their blue bag then we will write to them first to explain. Maybe they were unsure of what items to put in or they did not realise it was a problem.

We will always try to educate people first; fining is a last resort for persistent offenders.

I’m confused when it comes to recycling plastic; I know you can put pop bottles in but what other types of plastic?

All plastics can now go in the blue bag, for example, yoghurt pots, margarine tubs, milk bottles, shampoo bottles and plastic coat hangers and plastic film. Just please make sure they are clean and dry.

No polystyrene or carrier bags.

It’s pointless recycling as all of it just goes into landfill. Doesn’t it?

This is a common myth, but it is not true. Your waste is collected in a split-bodied vehicle (it has two separate compartments in the back) which means your food waste is kept separate from the blue / black bags (depending what week it is).

Your food waste is currently taken to a composting facility at Nantycaws in Carmarthen where it is turned into compost / soil conditioner.

Blue bags are taken to the materials recycling facility in Johnstown, Carmarthen, to be sorted.

The sorted materials are then taken or sold to companies who make it into new products.

Litter

The field next to me is always full of rubbish, why doesn’t the council clean it up?

The field is most probably private land. The council cannot clean it up; it is the responsibility of the landowner.

Is there a fine for dropping litter?

Yes the council can issue a fixed penalty notice for £75 to anyone caught dropping litter. However, if it is not paid, or if it is a repeat offender, they can be prosecuted in the magistrates court where the maximum fine is £2,500.

The council bins are always overflowing with rubbish why aren’t the council emptying them?

The council has a schedule for emptying bins, some are emptied more often that others depending on location and usage. Unfortunately, some people use litter bins for their general waste, this is not their intended use and causes them to fill up quickly. To report a bin that needs emptying call 01267 234567.

Every when does the council come around and clean the streets?

The council is responsible for removing litter from pavements, streets and council owned public land. The Street Scene division has a cleansing staff of approximately 60, along with a number of mechanical sweeping machines.

We provide both a mechanical and manual sweeping and litter picking service across the county. The main town centres are cleaned daily. On average 40 tonnes of litter is removed every week at a cost of over £2.3 million per year. The service is continually monitored and reviewed for potential improvements.

General

Where can I recycle batteries?

Most shops and supermarkets that sell batteries now have collection bins in store for used batteries. The council also has collection points at its customer service centres and you can also take them along to your nearest Household Waste Recycling Centre along with car batteries.

To find your nearest battery recycling point go to http://banklocator.wasteawarenesswales.org.uk/search You can also search for your nearest recycling point for other materials too.

Where are the Council recycling places?

The council has five Household Waste Recycling Centres in Trostre (Llanelli); Wernddu (Ammanford); Nantycaws (Carmarthen); Llangadog and Whitland. We also have 166 mini recycling centres for recycling materials including glass, paper, cans and textiles.

What can I take there?

All household waste can be taken along to the five main centres from furniture and electricals, garden waste and rubble to car batteries and fluorescent tubes. For a full list please visit www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk/recycling

What can I do with my old chip fat?

Cooking oil can be taken to one of the five Household Waste Recycling Centres where it is recycled and used as in the motor industry.

Dog Fouling

What should I do if I see a dog fouling?

If you see a dog fouling, take down as many details as possible, such as time, location, description of dog and person in charge of the dog and report it via the website www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk/dogfouling or by calling 01267 234567. Officers can then use this information to target certain areas at certain times of the day. It may also be possible that the information can be used to trace the offender and fine them.

Why such the fuss with dog fouling

Dog mess left anywhere can be a serious health risk. All faeces contains bacteria that can cause stomach upsets if ingested, however, the greatest risk to public health from dog faeces is toxocariasis – which can cause epilepsy, asthma and even blindness.

Please feel free to email us with any questions or queries that you may have.