I recycle; do you?

The government has set ambitious targets for how much local councils have to recycle. Currently over 30% of waste is recycled in Waltham Forest - but we have to increase this to 50% by 2012. If we don’t meet the target, the Council will receive heavy fines that will impact on your council tax bills.

From 10 September 2007, residents in Waltham Forest are being asked to recycle as part of a Compulsory Recycling scheme. This means that all residents in the Door-to-Door Recycling Service have to recycle paper, cardboard, glass bottles and jars, food and drink cans, plastic bottles, textiles, shoes, aluminium foil, batteries and engine oil in their black recycling boxes.

Recycling is important for Waltham Forest, and is an easy way that everyone can help to make the borough greener and cleaner. We work hard with residents to make sure they understand the compulsory recycling scheme and to help them recycle.

Support will be given to residents to ensure they understand the scheme and to help them to recycle. If they continually fail to recycle, they could be fined up to £1,000. Fines will only be used as a last resort for persistent non-recyclers.

The compulsory recycling scheme will not initially apply to high-rise blocks of flats with shared refuse facilities, but the Council is currently considering options to include these properties.

Frequently asked questions