Glass kerbside recycling trials expanded across more parts of Bedford

From next Monday (December 9), the council will add another 12,000 households to the scheme.

The expansion is being used to capture the increased glass waste generated during the festive period and further test the kerbside collection trial.

Residents in these designated areas will soon be able to take part:

Bedford

Bromham

Kempston

Stewartby

Sharnbrook

Wixams

Odell

Wilden

Renhold

Kempston Hardwick

HERE’S WHAT TO EXPECT

Participating households will receive a sticker on their orange-lidded bin and a leaflet through the door explaining the trial which includes glass bottles (any colour or size), jars (sauces, jam, baby food) and non-food glass bottles (perfume, etc).

Excluded items remain unchanged (drinking glasses, cookware, etc).

Launched in May, the initial trial aimed to capture an estimated 1,200 tonnes of glass currently ending up in black bins. A further update on the progress of the trial will be announced in spring next year.

If you’re not included in this trial, don’t worry. You can still take your glass bottles and jars to the many mini-recycling sites. Plus, glass no longer needs sorting by colour.

You can find a list of mini-recycling sites in Bedford here

Councillor Jim Weir, portfolio holder for environment, highways and transport, said: "We're delighted to extend this vital initiative. The initial trial has shown fantastic results, with an average 28% increase in overall recycling tonnage and minimal disruption to existing collections. Expanding the program allows us to assess the impact of Christmas and new year on glass waste, a key period for household recycling."