The difference between council collections and professional home rubbish removal in Brighton and West Sussex.

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The provision of waste management services is essential for both public health and for protecting the planet. There are two different types of providers; local authorities like the Brighton & Hove City Council and private waste management companies, like Brighton based G&S Clearance.

However, from the number of people calling G&S Clearance to request their council bins emptied, it is clear that there is a level of misunderstanding about who provides which services.  This has never been more apparent than during the recent ‘missed bin collections’ due to a spate of sabotage to the council vehicles operating throughout the Brighton & Hove area.  These ‘vehicle defects’ seemed to occur at the same time as an independent inquiry into work practices at City clean (the council’s waste service provider) was published, resulting in several job losses.  

Adrian Westwood, Director and Founder of Brighton-based G&S Clearance, explains:  “Thankfully the bin collections issue is now in hand and Brighton and Hove City Council is working to resume normal services. However, further clarification is required to define the difference between council-led services and private waste removals. Over the last few months, we have seen an increase in the number of calls from confused individuals requesting services, such as emptying their green bins, which fall firmly under the council’s remit”.

To make life easier, here’s a summary of the local authority waste and recycling services and guidelines, together with a list of waste that must be disposed of by a professional waste removal company.  

Council colour coded bins and boxes

Like many local councils, Brighton and Hove City Council has devised a simple scheme of colour-coding to help identify the bin that should be used for each specific type of rubbish. These bins and boxes are designed only for general household waste, not for commercial, building, hazardous waste or bulky items.

·  Green: General rubbish including food scraps, teabags and peelings etc. A big black bin liner should be used to prevent wildlife opening the bags and rifling through.

·  Black: Recyclable waste including tins, cans, aerosols, paper, cardboard and plastic bottles. Glass: Jars should be washed and stored in the black recycling box (metal lids can stay on but plastic lids should be removed and placed in the general green rubbish bag).

·  Brown: Garden waste, such as grass cutting sand leaves. (This bin should not be sued for larger debris such as branches and other garden rubbish. This type of refuse will need to be removed by a professional rubbish removal company like G&S clearance).

When to call a professional waste management service in Brighton and West Sussex

Although the council provides recycling bins and boxes and guidelines, these are meant only to deal with

the small amount waste generated by individual homes. Anything which doesn’t fit within the above- mentioned categories, due to size, quantity or the nature of the waste, will need to be removed by a private company, not the council.

·  WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment): TVs, monitors, mobiles and other types of electrical and electronic equipment needs to be disposed of safely. You can deposit item sat a local bank, or if you have multiple devices and items that need to be recycled, call a professional waste management service.

· Bulky items: Never be tempted to get rid of large items like mattresses yourself. Arranging the transport, lugging it around and dumping it somewhere legal can be more bother than its worth. Although you may not realise it, items such as old sofas, fridges and fridges can contain chemicals that are harmful to the environment and people if left to leak into the ground. These need to be transported, stored and ultimately disposed of safely, by regulated and experienced waste removal teams.

· Garden clearance: Garden sheds are often packed to the roof with accumulated rubbish, from toxic substances such as turpentine and paints, to pest control and weed killers. There are also probably long forgotten old bikes and bits and bobs that will never be used again, which will also need to be safely removed and disposed.  This is also a job for the professionals!

If you would like more information about G&S Clearance residential and commercial waste management services, including house clearance, garden clearance, building waste clearance, office clearance and general rubbish removal, visit the website www.gsclearance.co.uk, email: info@gsclearance.couk or request an instant quote via WhatsApp +44 7817 647075 including a  photo, brief description and your location.