Our policies and what happens to your recycling and waste
Contents
Ever wondered what happens to your recycling and waste?
Or, not sure why you can put some things in your recycling bins and not others?
Watch the processes in RECAP's videos: See what happens to your recycling.
Blue bin lorries collect mixed recycling. When the blue bin lorries are full, they empty the mixed recycling at a sorting plant, called a Materials Recycling Facility (MRF), at Thalia Waste Management, near Waterbeach.
Once at the MRF, a variety of magnets, eddy currents (reverse magnets), size-sorting equipment and conveyor belts separate the different materials. The materials are then baled and sold to processors who melt, pulp or crush them to make new products.
Our contract with Thalia specifies that UK markets should be given preference where possible. Between April 2023 and March 2024, 82% of the recyclable material that the Greater Cambridge Shared Waste service collected was sent to UK re-processors for recycling. For plastics, this figure was 100% with no plastic leaving the UK.
The remaining material (18%) is large cardboard and some mixed paper which is exported. This is fully tracked in accordance with strict guidance from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA). This is recorded on the national Waste Data Flow website. Materials are only sent to sites which have a permit to recycle them legally. We will continue to follow the same stringent processes when we start working with our new contractor in March 2025. We will be working to ensure the same high standards and accountability for our recycling material.
Non-recyclable items put into blue bins incorrectly are removed during sorting and either sent to landfill at Waterbeach or used as fuel to run cement kilns in Lincolnshire.
Green bin - food and garden waste
The waste from your green bin is taken to Thalia Waste Management at Waterbeach, where it goes through an intensive 'in-vessel' composting process. The resulting soil conditioner is sold for local agriculture
Householders can also collect soil conditioner free of charge from the site.
Black bin - non-recyclable waste
Black bin waste which is not recyclable is also taken to Thalia Waste Management at Waterbeach. Find out more information on the Cambridgeshire County Council website
Bin Hygiene
Bins can get smelly in warm weather, attracting flies. In cold weather, the contents can freeze, which can mean we are unable to empty your bin.
Managing your waste carefully can prevent these problems, below are some suggestions:
- Wrapping food waste and bagging all other waste will help keep your bins clean.
- You can rinse your bins out with detergent, or use a bin-cleaning service.
- If possible, store your wheeled bin out of direct sunlight, as the sun will warm up the bin, increase the smell and attract flies.
- Ensure that all bin lids are kept closed. If your bin is damaged or missing, we can arrange a repair or replacement.
Frozen bins
Wetter items, including food and garden waste, can freeze to the inside of wheelie bins during cold spells. If this happens, they won’t empty properly when collectors tip the bin into refuse trucks. Here are some tips to help you prevent this from happening:
- Wrap food waste in paper – newspaper will do, or you can buy paper liners.
- Put a piece of cardboard at the bottom of the empty bin – do this in cold spells only, as normally cardboard should go in the blue bin.
- Put your bin out at each collection, even if it is only half full – this reduces the likelihood that you will be left with a full bin if it freezes.
- Place a small stick under the lid to prevent the lid from fully closing and becoming frozen shut.
- If possible, place your bin in the sun during the day, or close to a wall.
If your bin has not been fully emptied because the contents are partially frozen - and you need to dispose of extra rubbish or garden waste - you can take it to the recycling centres in Milton or Thriplow. We are not able to return to empty frozen bins.
Recycling and waste statistics
Our shared waste service’s performance is measured using 2 indicators: recycling rate and percentage of bins collected on time.
Our household waste and recycling policies and procedures [PDF, 0.3MB] document contains details of our waste and recycling collection services, including how and when residents need to present their bins for emptying. Please note that failure to comply with our requirements for setting out waste and recycling for collection could result in a fixed penalty. The household duty of care placed on you can be found in the Environmental Protection Act 1990 Section 34 (2A) and Section 5 of the Waste Duty of Care: Code of Practice.
Weight of recycling and waste collected per household
The table below shows the volume of material collected by bin colour, shown as weight (in kilograms) per household.
| Type of waste collected | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General waste (kg) | 405.3 | 399.8 | 418.4 | 425.4 | 407.7 |
| Recycling (kg) | 175.6 | 189.4 | 185.5 | 211.0 | 195.5 |
| Garden and food waste (kg) | 263.8 | 233.0 | 275.2 | 260.9 | 255.3 |
The recycling rate is the percentage of blue and green bin recycling, versus black bin.
Quarterly recycling performance
| Yearly total | 50.00% | 48.92% | 50.50% | 50.91% | 50.99% |
| Date | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quarter 1 (April to June) | 54.08% | 52.02% | 53.56% | 51.17% | 55.10% |
| Quarter 2 (July to September) | 52.52% | 48.39% | 54.17% | 54.20% | 53.28% |
| Quarter 3 (October to December) | 48.03% | 50.39% | 50.25% | 50.12% | 49.08% |
| Quarter 4 (January to March) | 44.08% | 45.52% | 46.10% | 47.69% | 45.52% |
Bins emptied on time
The table below shows the percentage of bins that were collected on their scheduled day.
| Yearly total | 99.75% | 99.72% | 99.72% | 99.84% | 99.82% |
| Date range | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quarter 1 (April to June) | 99.62% | 99.72% | 99.75% | 99.88% | 99.82% |
| Quarter 2 (July to September) | 99.80% | 99.73% | 99.79% | 99.90% | 99.76% |
| Quarter 3 (October to December) | 99.77% | 99.67% | 99.76% | 99.78% | 99.85% |
| Quarter 4 (January to March) | 99.81% | 99.76% | 99.57% | 99.80% | 99.86% |