Cost of bulky waste collection cut in trial to measure impact on flytipping levels in South Tyneside

Currently the cost for collection of up to eight items is £26.50 however South Tyneside Council is set to introduce a reduced fee of £12.50 for an initial six-month trial period.

Council bosses will use the time to determine whether it helps to reduce the levels of flytipping across the borough.

The reduced cost will apply to collections of up to eight items on bookings that are made from April 1.

Councillor Ernest Gibson, Lead Member for Area Management at South Tyneside Council, has stated that an influx of bookings is expected once the fee is reduced.

He said: “Bulky Waste Collection is a popular service with South Tyneside residents and is just one of the many ways that residents can safely dispose of large, heavy items that they may not be able to transport to the Recycling Village themselves.

“The Council also works extremely hard to keep the Borough clean and tidy, tackling littering and flytipping in our streets, back lanes and open spaces

“We have listened to residents’ concerns about flytipping. It is not only illegal, unsightly and hazardous to the public and wildlife, but it is costly to clean up.

“While there is absolutely no excuse for flytipping, we are going to see if the lower price makes any difference in the amount of waste that is illegally dumped and blights our beautiful borough.

“We expect an influx of bookings when the scheme launches. Residents will be given the first available slot within the work programme.”

The decision to cut the cost of bulky waste collections follows a rise in the number of unlicensed waste carriers operating across South Tyneside.

Councillor Gibson added: “We are seeing more and more cases where unlicensed waste carriers either come recommended by others or offer to take away rubbish on the cheap.

"Even though residents are paying them in good faith, the waste is often not legitimately disposed of and is flytipped by the roadside or at Borough beauty spots instead.

“As well as checking the business has a valid waste carriers licence, we would always encourage residents to obtain a Waste Transfer Note, otherwise they could be held responsible if their waste is found to be flytipped.”

Bulky waste collections are for residents who want to dispose of items like furniture, white goods or large electrical appliances.

They are not for the disposal of hazardous or commercial waste such as rubble and plaster.

The bulky waste collections also do not cover things such as bathroom suites, kitchen units, doors and laminate flooring – these can be collected as part of the borough's house or garden clearance schemes.

If you need more information on bulky waste collection in South Tyneside, then you can visit www.southtyneside.gov.uk/wasteandrecycling.

Anyone wanting to report flytipping can do so through the Council’s Customer Contact Centre on 0191 427 7000 or online at www.southtyneside.gov.uk/reportit.

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