The new 123+ refuse and recycling service starts on 1 August

From 1 August, refuse & recycling collections across Stratford-on-Avon District and Warwick District will change to a new 123+ service.

The new service will be delivered to both Stratford-on-Avon and Warwick District residents through a joint waste contract with Biffa Waste Services Ltd.

What is the 123+ service? 

1. Food waste collected weekly in a food caddy
   Using a food caddy (a small kitchen caddy for inside your property) and a larger food waste bin to use outside and put out for collection.
2. Recycling collected fortnightly in a blue-lidded wheeled bin
3. Refuse collected every three weeks in a grey bin

+        A paid for garden waste service collected fortnightly in a green bin

Cllr Ian Shenton, Climate Change Portfolio at Stratford District Council says: "With the introduction of this new services, we need everyone to play their part and support the changes. 

"It's important for future generations that we do as much as we can now to limit and reverse the effects of increasing temperatures caused by Greenhouse gases. Moving to the 123+ system is part of what we as individuals can do to help in this fight, as it should encourage increased levels of recycling and less waste, including food waste, going to landfill.

"I know this is a change to the current service, but I am sure that residents will adapt to this new service.  Recycling as much as possible will help reduce waste, protect the environment and help us tackle climate change.

"We can put your waste materials to good use, and we have a legal requirement to recycle as much household waste as we reasonably can. It costs money to collect and dispose of the waste in your grey bin. Recycling all that you can helps to keep Council Tax down."

Councillor Moira-Ann Grainger, Neighbourhood and Leisure Portfolio at Warwick District Council added: "We appreciate that the new service will take a bit of getting used to for our residents. However once in the swing of things households can soon reap the benefits of an easy and efficient service which will increase their recycling and reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill. In addition, instead of contributing to greenhouse gas emissions our District can collectively generate renewable energy through our food waste collections."

It's as easy as 123+ with our new app!

To help residents adjust to the new 123+ waste collection service residents are encouraged to download a new app.

Use the app from 1 August to get bin collection reminders, find out what you can put in which bin or report a missed collection all in one place.

Though you can download it now, some features including waste collection dates and notification reminders will only work from 1 August 2022 when the new waste contract is in place.

Download it from www.stratford.gov.uk/app or by searching the App Store or Google Play.

While every household should have received a new collection calendar, not everyone has access to the internet or uses apps, so if you can, please check in with your neighbours and help them with the new service and to put the right bin out at the right time.

For more information about the new 123+ waste collection service and to view a useful video please visit: www.stratford.gov.uk/123

Why are we doing this?

Our current recycling rates exceed the Government's target of 50%. However, by moving to a 123+ collection system we can recycle even more.

The current contracts for Stratford-on-Avon and Warwick District Councils end on July 31 2022. This provides us with an opportunity to combine waste and recycling collection under one contract and to make the service more efficient.

We are introducing a new joint waste and recycling collections approach to deliver the 123+ collections service to both Stratford-on-Avon and Warwick Districts, serving 126,000 households. This will:

• Help achieve both Councils' commitment to protecting the environment and tackling issues around climate change.
• Make the service more efficient using new vehicles and smart routing for collections to minimise environmental impact and help us benefit from economies of scale by sharing resources.
• Include the launch of a separate food waste collection to reduce waste and stop harmful greenhouse gases entering our waste streams.

What are the benefits?

The new 123+ service will help to:

• Reduce waste and encourage residents to recycle more
• Save money by reducing the cost of treatment and disposal of refuse
• Make services more efficient using new vehicles and combining collection rounds
• Protect the environment and help tackle climate change

Why is the Council introducing a separate weekly food collection?

Food waste makes up approximately a third (33%) of householders' refuse bins. Collecting food waste from households weekly using a separate container is a common collection method used by many local authorities in the UK. This method has been proven to increase the amount of food waste recycled and reduces the waste in refuse bins more than other collection methods.

Food waste recycling stops this material going for incineration. Instead, it is taken to a specialist facility for Anaerobic Digestion where it is recycled. The waste is treated in specialist facilities to produce a biogas which can be used to generate a renewable, low-carbon electricity. The gas can also be put into the gas grid to help decarbonise the gas grid. The treatment method also produces a liquid which can be used to fertilise local farmland. 

For further information please take a look at the FAQs, hints and tips and the information booklet on the website:

• 123+ Frequently asked Questions 
• 123 hints and tips leaflet
• Information Booklet

Mobilising such an enormous new contract with so many changes is very challenging. Apart from the production of over 40 different calendars it has also entailed the delivery of over 300,000 new bins to residents across the two Districts, including food caddies, food bins and new wheeled recycling bins in Warwick.

If for any reason you haven't received your new bins, please continue to use your existing receptacles until such time as your new bin arrives.

With the new service, collection days and times may have changed, please make sure your bins are presented by 6am on your collection day and please note the bins will be collected at different times of the day.