Bulk Refuse

What do you do with empty boxes after Christmas or birthdays? How about in the new year, when you want to have a good clear-out to make way for all the new gifts – what will happen to the things you need to dispose of?

Larger items will not be collected by the Local Authority with your general waste, which means you will need to make special arrangements with your Local Council for their collection. You can usually do this by telephoning or by making an online request. There may be a fee for collection, but some Councils will make collections free of charge (although there may be restrictions on the amount of items that can be collected on any one visit).

If your bulk waste is recyclable, please make use of the facilities either at your building or within the community. If your recycling bins are full, please do not leave recyclable items around the bin as they will not be collected. You can check with your Local Council to find out where the nearest recycling centre is located. In addition, most supermarkets have recycling facilities situated in their car parks.

If you live in a block of flats or a converted flat, it is likely that you share parts of the building with your neighbours, such as communal hallways, entrance lobbies and gardens. These areas must be kept free from obstruction and fire hazards at ALL times, so it is important to ensure that your bulk waste is not stored here at any time. All items should be stored inside your property until either the day of collection or the night before the day the collection is due. Not only does this minimise health and safety risks, but it also ensures that the Association doesn’t make its own arrangements for collection which incurs costs to all residents.

For example, did you know that every time a resident dumps a bulky item that the Association collects, the charge is passed on to ALL residents at that building? This cost is recovered through the service charge, which may increase if perpetrators continue to dump unwanted goods.

What can you do?

Please dispose of your own bulk waste in the correct manner. You may want to leave a note with your items once you have left them out, advising your neighbours of the collection date. If you notice any bulk items around your building, please contact the Association so that they can arrange collection.

Contacts for Local Councils

Southwark 020 7525 2000 www.southwark.gov.uk

Lewisham 020 8314 6000 www.lewisham.gov.uk

Greenwich 020 8921 4661 www.greenwich.gov.uk

Bexley 020 8303 7777 www.bexley.gov.uk

Croydon 020 8726 6200 www.croydon.gov.uk

 

Alternatively, your Local Council may have a dump where you can take your bulk items. Please contact your Council for further details, or check their website.