Waste Minimisation or waste reduction is about creating and disposing of less rubbish and reducing the amount of waste that we have to send to a landfill site. Waste minimisation is good news for the environment as reducing the waste that we produce usually means using less natural resources such as paper or aluminium and the production of less global warming gases such as methane and carbon dioxide when we compost our garden and non-cooked kitchen vegetable wastes at home.
Sutton Council recently reaffirmed its Waste Minimisation Policy which incorporates changes to the Waste Management Service to encourage a reduction in waste and an increase in recycling. The policy is set out below.
Waste Minimisation Policy
a. A kerbside collection of glass is to be introduced borough-wide with boxes supplied to each household free of charge. Collections will commence on 2nd June 2008
b. Compost Bins are to be offered to all householders with the first, standard composter to be provided free of charge. Any additional bins will be supplied at a discounted rate. Orders will be taken from 7th April 2008 with deliveries commencing 14 days after.
c. A borough-wide network for the collection of textiles utilising the voluntary sector, community groups, schools, residents and the Council’s existing textile collection contractor is to be introduced. This will commence in April 2008 and develop throughout the year.
d. Dry recycling bins of at least 140 litre (or equivalent recycling bags) are to be supplied to all households wherever possible. Larger 240 litre bins are to be promoted and provided upon request. Bins will be offered as part of waste awareness work commencing February 2008.
e. The food waste collection trial is to continue on the same basis as the existing trial.
f. The existing policy of providing each household with a 140 litre residual (brown wheeled) bin as standard with 240 litre bins provided in exceptional circumstances only, will be reaffirmed. Where a household does not have wheeled bins, a maximum of 2 black sacks will be collected unless there are exceptional circumstances.
g. Residents will be charged for the provision or replacement of brown-wheeled bins in future. This will commence from 1st April 2008.
h. No residual “side” waste to be collected e.g. black sacks except for the two-week period following Christmas.
i. A chargeable kerbside collection service for garden waste is to be introduced. This will be charged at £35 per bag per annum (biodegradable bag supplied annually by the Council). This will commence from 2nd June 2008. The maximum number of bags will be three per household.
Other Ways to Reduce Your Waste
1. Cloth Reusable Nappies: These are better for the environment and for your pocket. The Council is offering Cash Back for parents who choose cloth nappies.
Cloth Nappies Cash Back Incentive Scheme
Sutton Council is now offering up to £35 cash back for parents who purchase reusable cloth nappies. A leaflet about the Cash Back Scheme and an application form are attached here. If you would like more information please contact us via our Contact Centre, 020 8770 5070. CLICK HERE for the application form (
PDF 184KB).
Please consider using reusable nappies for the following reasons:
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Throwaway nappies create millions of tonnes of raw sewage waste each year and are a huge problem for local councils such as Sutton to deal with.
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Disposable nappies can work out more expensive than reusables.
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We are unsure of the long-term health impacts of the gels and chemicals in disposable nappies on our babies and it is suggested that viruses found in faeces may survive for over two weeks in disposables.
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Disposable nappies may clog up toilets, sewers and are a particular health hazard when they are dumped in litter-bins and roadside lay-bys.
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Modern cloth nappies can be shaped and fastened using Velcro rather than pins
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They are machine washable at 60 degrees centigrade
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Cloth nappies can be colourful and stylishly designe
2. Home Compost your garden and non-cooked kitchen vegetable waste and reap the benefit of a nutritious soil conditioner that will feed your plants at the same time. For one year, 2008-9 the Council is offering a free garden composter to all households. Tel. 0845 077 0757 for details or go to our Home Composting Section on this website.
3. Stop Junk Mail Ask the Council for a 'No Junk Mail sticker' to reduce the number of unwanted flyer from local fast food outlets. You can also get your name and address taken off commercial mailing lists. It’s easy to do.
Unaddressed mail from the Post Office
Write to Royal Mail, 1st Floor, Kingsmead House
Oxpens Road, Oxford, OX1 1RX or email them at
optout@royalmail.com; or view the Post Office website at www.postoffice.co.uk
2. ‘No Junk Mail’ stickers for your front door. These will reduce the hand delivered pizza leaflets etc. and are available from Civic Offices and Denmark Road, Carshalton receptions.
3. Mailing Preference Service. This free service will arrange for your name and address to be removed from unsolicited mailing lists. There is also a specialist service to stop mailings on baby products. It can take up to four months to become fully effective. MPS also offer a free complaints service for mail received after the initial four months has elaped. Registration lasts for five years.
Mailing Preference Service contact details: www.mpsonline.org.uk
email: mps@dma.org.uk or write to Mailing Preference Service, DMA House, 70 Margaret Street, London, W1W 8SS. Tel. 0845 7034599
Baby Preference web-site: www.mpsonline.org.uk selecting 'BABY MPS' or by writing to Baby MPS, Freepost, LON20590, Sunderland, SR9 9YN. General enquiries can be made under babymps@dma.org.uk
Waste Management Section, 24 Denmark Road, Carshalton,
SM5 2JG; Telephone: 020 8770 5070; email:waste.management@sutton.gov.uk
Priner Toner Cartridges and Mobile Phones
The Council is working in partnership with Sutton's Times Square Shopping Centre to recycle printer toner cartridges and mobile phones in aid of local charities. Collection boxes have been placed at the Council’s Kimpton Park Way Reuse & Recycling Centre (just off the A217), Sutton's Civic Offices, Our Environment & Leisure offices in Denmark Road, Carshalton, borough libraries and at the Times Square Shopping Centre. For more details please contact the Council’s Call Centre on 020 8770 5070.
More Ways of Reducing Your Waste
Please have a look at the list below and see if there is anything else you can do to help the Council minimise waste. This will reduce the impact of climate change and global warming, save natural resources and help to keep Council Tax increases down.
- Avoid heavily packaged goods
- Buy loose foods where possible, use a local green grocer or butcher
- Choose products in containers that YOUR local authority can recycle
- Pass on clothing to relatives, friends and charity shops
- Take your own bags to the shops
- Re-Use plastic carrier bags
- Pass on appropriate bits and pieces to Squirrels, the local Community Scrap
- Scheme for use on arts and crafts
- Contact the Council for ways of reusing unwanted furniture, children’s clothing, linens, cookers, washing machines, fridges etc.
- Sign up to Freecycle Sutton and give away items that might be useful to someone else – or maybe find something that will save you money
Recycling Home Page
Waste and Recycling Services Home Page
Contact Details
Phone No: 0208 770 5070
E-Form: Waste Management-General Enquiry Form
Address: 24 Denmark Road, Carshalton, Surrey, SM5 2JG
