Waste Vision and Strategy

The vision provides a clear basis on which future decisions concerning how waste is managed in Colchester borough can be assessed.

It was agreed by the Cabinet in January 2016, and approved by full Council in February 2016.

• The Council's vision for the future of waste management in the borough is one where:
• Waste is managed in accordance with the waste hierarchy, so that waste is prevented and minimised where possible
• Reuse activity is encouraged in households and businesses
• Recycling activity increases the quantity of recyclable material and produces high quality materials that are required by reprocessors
• The environmental impacts of the whole system of waste management are minimised
• The recycling and waste collection service provided by the Council provides value for money for its customers.

Alongside the vision, the 'definitions document' shown here provides links to a range of information and legislation around the management of waste and recycling that the Council also needs to consider or adhere to. 

Waste Strategy

Following on from the Waste Vision adopted by the Council in 2015, the Waste Strategy was agreed at Cabinet in December 2016.

The key aims of the Waste Strategy are to improve our performance, in particular reducing residual waste and increasing recycling, and to provide a waste and recycling collection service requested by residents.

Our new recycling and rubbish collection service started in June 2017 to boost recycling rates and to cut down on what goes to landfill.

Here's what has changed:

• a maximum of three black bags per household
• a two-week collection of black bag rubbish
• no free black bags in the annual delivery
• free clear bags in the annual delivery
• free white garden bags
• a second, free green box
• new wheelie bin collections in certain areas of the borough.