#bin swap

Tameside Bin Swap - Saving Council Services by Recycling More

Tameside Council have had massive cuts since 2010, £142M to be precise - and we need to find (at least) another £38 Million between 2015 and 2017! That is over 50% in government funding cut to Tameside Council from this uncaring government. 

Vital council services, such as adult social care and services for looked after children, because of these cuts from government in danger of yet further cuts - this effects us all in Tameside. One way in which Tameside Labour has found to save money and help save these key services is free, its called the Bin Swap - and this video explains more about the bin swap.

The idea is simple: Households swap the use of Green and Black Bins.

This means more space for recycling glass, plastics and metals - and a reduction in general waste which goes to land fill. The huge amount we send to land fill costs tax payers £12M a year, with bin swap this can be reduced by 25% (£3M) each and every year. 

This simple idea is similar to the scheme used by neighboring Stockport Council successfully - and both their recycling figures and from Tameside Council bin swap trials show that more recycling really does save money and which will help protect services.

Tameside Bin Swap FAQ’s:

Q: I am missing a recycling bin, how do I get a new one? A: You can order a new bin, for free, by completing this form online - it should arrive within around a week. The council has delivered over 9,200 new bins since April.

Q: Do I have to give you a bin back? A: This is a common misconception, Bin Swap is not about delivering new bins (which would cost lots of money) it is simply swapping the use of 2 bins to allow for more recycling capacity.

Q: I have large family, How will I cope? A: It’s understandable there will be concerns over how well Bin Swap will work for your household. However it’s worth noting that during bin swap trials in Tameside over the past year have shown that only a very small number of households need extra capacity following the bin swap. If you have a large household (more than 6 people) or after a few weeks of Bin Swap you are struggling you can ask for an extra bin via this webpage. http://www.tameside.gov.uk/binswap/exceptionalcircumstances

Q: When will Bin Swap start? A: Bin Swap will roll out very shortly, the week it rolls out the council will empty both bins - its from this point your Bin Swap has begun. You’ll also receive a letter about this.

Q: How much of our council tax pays for our waste services? A: In addition to staffing cost, vehicle costs etc we pay £17M+ in tax and levies to the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority - £12M of this is for land fill cost (the section we can make big savings in).

Still confused by Bin Swap or have questions?