Bin collection day changes set to reduce emissions and improve efficiency

Some bin collection days are to be changed across East Cambridgeshire from 28 March 2022 to improve service efficiency for residents and reduce carbon emissions.

Households are being sent a letter informing them of the changes which will involve blue, green, and black sack routes.

Some areas will not be affected by the changes.

East Cambs Street Scene (ECSS), which operates independently as a trading arm of East Cambridgeshire District Council, is responsible for waste collection and street cleansing across the district.

It estimates that by simply changing which rounds are completed on which day, it will save nearly 5000 litres of diesel and 12 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. This is the equivalent of taking one truck off the road every single day.

Rearranging the rounds so teams can work their way more methodically through the district will also allow waste operatives to work more efficiently. This will help ECSS become more resilient when it comes to managing the organisation’s resources.

Blue and green bins will continue to be collected on an alternate basis and residents should continue to check their calendars and the ECDC website for bank holiday changes.

The new collection days and areas are as follows:

Monday – Long Meadow, Lode, Bottisham, Burrough Green, Brinkley, Dullingham, Six Mile Bottom, Stetchworth, Westley Waterless, Woodditton, Ditton Green, Little Ditton, Upend, Fordham, Badlingham, Chippenham, Kennett, Snailwell, Newmarket, Ashley, Silverley, Cheveley, Kirtling, Saxon Street

Tuesday – Burwell, Reach, Swaffham Prior, Swaffham Bulbeck, Barway, Soham Fen, Stuntney, Isleham

Wednesday – Littleport, Queen Adelaide, Prickwillow, Shippea Hill, Little Ouse, Redmere, Soham, Upware, Wicken

Thursday – Haddenham, Aldreth, Earith, Wentworth, Stretham, Chittering, Wilburton, Sutton, Witcham Toll, Witchford, Witcham, Mepal, Wardy Hill, Coveney, Pymoor, Little Downham

Friday – Ely, Queen Adelaide, Chettisham, Little Thetford

Councillor Julia Huffer, Chairman of the Operational Services Committee at East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “Our waste collection service has always aimed to operate with maximum efficiency, even at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when crews went above and beyond to ensure waste was collected and our streets were clean.

“Our residents have shown amazing support for our bin collectors throughout this difficult time and we are extremely grateful for all of the positive comments and messages of support we have received.

“We realise residents have had to cope with a lot of recent changes to their bin collections, but we hope this reconfiguration will help benefit everyone involved in the longer term, including the environment.”

Minimising miles travelled by the ECSS fleet is part of a commitment East Cambridgeshire District Council outlined in its second annual Environmental and Climate Change Strategy Action Plan, which was approved in June 2021. 

The Action Plan focuses on what the Council can do to mitigate climate change and boost the natural environment within the district.    

More information about the changes can be found on the Council’s website here: www.eastcambs.gov.uk/bindaychange