Garden waste to be collected once again

GARDEN waste collections are set to start again in Bridgend County Borough – and existing customers who signed up to the previous service will be able to receive it free of charge for the rest of the year.

The previous collection service was forced to stop on March 26 after the contractor who was converting the garden waste into high-quality compost ceased to trade because of the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on their business.

Bridgend County Borough Council and its waste partners Kier have now located an alternative contractor, and the new service will begin on Monday, May 4, and run until the end of the season on Friday, November 13.

The service will initially be restricted to households which were already enrolled with the scheme before March 26. No charge will be levied for this year in acknowledgement of the unavoidable inconvenience posed by the break in the service while a new contractor was being sourced.

The council plans to review the scheme with a view to expanding it further and taking on new registrations at a later date.

Deputy leader Hywel Williams said: “Our waste partners Kier are currently contacting all households who were enrolled in the scheme before it had to stop on 26 March to explain that a new contractor is in place and, that as a gesture of goodwill, they will be able to make use of the service free of charge between now and when the season ends in November.

“Households will continue to be able to use the garden waste sacks that they have already received, and Kier will provide them with details of their collection days.

“I’d like to thank everyone for their patience while we have searched for an alternative contractor, and look forward to seeing the scheme grow in popularity.”