Lithium battery fires

Lithium batteries have caused fires in the rubbish lorries. Please do not put batteries in your waste or recycling bin. All batteries (including lithium batteries from e-bikes and e-scooters and other re-chargeable devices) can be taken to the Reuse and Recycling Centre at Northumberland Wharf.

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Timed waste collections

Time banded waste and recycling collections

We are introducing time banded waste collections for high streets, town centres, and commercial areas to help make our busy streets cleaner.

Residents and businesses on time banded streets must put their waste and recycling out for collection during specified 2-hour periods.

Your waste will be collected twice a day, 7 days a week.

Find out if your property is time banded

Benefits of the new arrangements

  • More regular collection of rubbish and recycling for residents and businesses twice daily, 7 days a week
  • Keeping our busier streets clean and more attractive.
  • Reducing obstructions and problems caused by illegally dumped rubbish.

Residents

If you are unable to put your waste out during the time bands, please consider what alternative arrangements you can make to ensure your waste is put out during the correct time.

You are not allowed to leave your waste or recycling out the night before.

The householder is responsible for making sure that all residents in the property comply with the Tower Hamlets Household Waste Regulations 2024.

Any resident who leaves waste or recycling for collection before or after the time bands will receive a warning.

How to use the service

The collection point for your waste and recycling is on the street where it meets the edge of your property.

  • Use the correct sacks:
    • Clear sacks for recycling.
    • Black sacks for waste.
  • Never put your recycling in black sacks.
  • Recycling and waste must be put in the same collection point but in separate piles.
  • Sacks must be securely closed.

Our enforcement team will be monitoring the streets to make sure that waste and recycling are put out and collected correctly.

Businesses

Your waste and recycling must only be put out within your 2 hour time band.

Please make sure that your waste carrier is able to collect during your 2 hour time band.

If your premises closes before the time band for the PM collection you will need to store your waste and recycling in your premises overnight for the AM collection.

You are not allowed to leave your waste or recycling out the night before.

Food waste must be stored in your premises in sealed caddies. These durable bins prevent bad smells and odours escaping while offering strong protection against vermin. Environmental Health Officers have confirmed that use of caddies for food waste will not compromise any Health and Safety Regulations.

If your business premises is closed for the AM and PM collection, or if your storage space is insufficient to store your waste and recycling overnight then you may need to arrange for your waste collector to come into the premises during opening hours to collect your waste (internal collections).

Parking Enforcement Officers will allow waste vehicles to make internal collections, they have a duty of care not to obstruct the road. Red route restrictions will still apply.

Responsibility is on the business to make sure that waste and recycling is collected.

You will be held liable if your waste carrier does not collect your waste and recycling in compliance with the scheme.

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