HOUSEHOLDERS across Sedgemoor and West Somerset should check if they are among the thousands scheduled for an extra rubbish collection tomorrow (Saturday, February 26).

Around 7,000 homes are due to get a one-off waste collection ahead of the launch of Somerset Waste Partnership’s Recycle More service next week.

Where this applies it is made clear on the front of the household’s orange and blue Coming soon! leaflet and the collection day calendar inside.

The additional pick-ups will ensure no-one goes more than three weeks between rubbish collections as they move to the new service.

They will take place across Sedgemoor and West Somerset, including some households in Burnham-on-Sea, Highbridge, Middlezoy, Othery, Westonzoyland, Brompton Regis, Brushford, Dulverton and Watchet.

This is not a definitive list of locations so you need to check the leaflet.

Another 5,000 homes will get an extra collection next Saturday (March 5), including some households in Cannington, Cheddar, Shipham, Highbridge and West Huntspill.

Recycle More starts across the area from Monday (February 28), adding extra materials to weekly collections.

With more being recycled, rubbish is collected every three weeks instead of fortnightly.

Collection days are changing for around two-thirds of homes.

With Recycle More, SWP will improve recycling for homes with shared or communal collections, for example blocks of flats and homes of multiple occupancy. These improvements are scheduled for late June or early July and what is possible will depend on space and access at each site.

Recycle More adds the following to weekly collections: plastic pots, tubs and trays; food and drink cartons, small household electrical items and batteries.

The Bright Blue Bag should be used for:

  • Plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays (rinsed and squashed/nested);
  • Tins and cans (rinsed and crushed if safe to do so);
  • Aerosols (empty);
  • Foil (rinsed).

What goes into each recycling container will change:

Green box – glass bottles and jars, and cartons (including Tetra Pak);

Black box – paper and card;

Brown food waste bin – all food waste.

Household electricals can go into an untied carrier bag placed on top of recycling. The bags will be returned.

Small batteries should go into tied bread bags, freezer bags or similar see-through bags.