RUBBISH UPDATE by Heidi Bradner
Due to the pandemic, the dumping on the Square has decreased in 2020 compared to previous years. We think this is due to fewer rentals and short lets operating. Many residents also left during the various lockdowns.
ECSRA and RBKC Enforcement meet regularly to do walks around the Square to monitor and stop rubbish dumping. We arrange with the Council to remove abandoned bicycles, locks and other items such as shopping trolleys.
Good results from 2020 include less dumping in front of 312. However, this spot remains problematic. The corner near 69 remains a hot spot, since the building does not have a rubbish vault. Residents at number One created a designated rubbish storage area for their building, which helps avoid rubbish being put on the pavement.
Aims for 2021 include involving local residents in the battle to stop rubbish dumping on the Square. We formed a group of volunteers who stay in touch with each other and with RBKC to chase and stop rubbish dumping. The goal remains to have strong investigation and enforcement combined with outreach to stop dumping.
REPORTING ILLEGAL DUMPING
When you see illegally dumped bags, please help us and report them. The council prefers you use the online form to report the incident. https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/global/ report-it/waste-and-street-environment
This generates a case report for the resident. This works well as the Council informs the resident directly of their investigation results. If unable to report via the online form, call Streetline on 020 7361 3001 or email: streetline@rbkc.gov.uk
DISPOSAL OF UNWANTED MEDICINES
Please dispose of expired, unused, medications at a local chemist, so they do not get into the landfill or the local water system. All chemists in the U.K. are required to take back expired or unused medicines.
https://psnc.org.uk/services-commissioning/essential-services/disposal-of-unwanted-medicines/
RECYCLING
Lids are now accepted by RBKC recycling. Put plastic lids back on clean and empty plastic bottles- after you squash them. Take metal lids off glass bottles and put them loose into your recycling.
Top Recycling “ No’s” for our Borough
NO carrier bag or thin plastics that can be scrunched in your hand. Only plastic that is stiff and hard should go into your recycling bag
NO shredded paper. It cannot be effectively recycled and causes problem for the machinery. Please put in your black bin liner with normal rubbish. NO pizza delivery boxes that have food waste on them. If the top of the pizza box is still clean, please cut this portion off and put in recycling bags.
NO greasy or food-contaminated plastic, paper or cardboard.
RBKC RUBBISH COLLECTIONS
Earl’s Court Square Rubbish collections are MONDAY and THURSDAY mornings. Please put rubbish in your vault. Collections begin from 7 am, so if bags are left on the pavement at night, foxes break into the food waste and spread rubbish over the pavement.
Please advise any new residents and cleaners what the collection times are. We are fortunate to have two collections a week.
RBKC BULKY HOUSEHOLD WASTE COLLECTION
RBKC offers a Bulky Household Waste collection for £22.70 for up to 10 bulky items. This service is now operating again (having been temporarily suspended) and taking bookings. However, due to Covid-19, they can only collect bulky waste items from outside your property. Please make sure you leave items on the pavement, outside of your property on the day of your collection. Unfortunately, RBKC cannot provide a collection service for items classified as “heavy” on the booking system at this present time.
Please call 020 7361 3001 or visit RBKC website: https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/ bins-and-recycling/rubbish-and- recycling/bulky-household-waste- collections.
REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE
If you think someone else or a neighbour might want an item you want to get rid of, don’t dump it, ‘Freegle’ it free of charge! Freegle is a charity and enables you to exchange unwanted items for free. To find out more, and to see what is currently available, visit Kensington and Chelsea Freegle. If you have good quality items that you would like to donate for re-use, please go to the Freecycle website. https://www.freecycle.org/
The Freecycle NetworkTM website says it is a grassroots and entirely non-profit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns and neighbourhoods. It’s all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by local volunteers. Membership is free.
USEFUL NUMBERS
Streetline: 020 7361 3001 or streetline@rbkc.gov.uk
Streetline’s “too big for the bin” collections: Up to 10 bulky items £22.70
THE EARL’S COURT SQUARE RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE VISIT TO
SMUGGLERS’ WAY RECYCLING CENTRE
Booted and well wrapped members of the Executive Committee of ECSRA braved the inclement weather and
celebrated winning £2,500 in the Golden Ticket “Recycle Right” prize draw for community groups and
organisations by visiting the newly opened Western Riverside Recycling Centre (WRWA). Our thanks to Heidi
Bradner for all her hard work in achieving this. The ECSRA is very proud of our Refuse Collection/Recycling
Team of 5 volunteers, led by Heidi, who liaise with Streetline/RBKC to rectify the ever-constant problems of
fly tipping and refuse being put out on the wrong day in Earl’s Court Square.
The purpose of the visit to the WRWA in Smugglers Way, just over Wandsworth Bridge, was to learn about the economic and environmental benefits of recycling. Whilst seated at recycled multi-coloured tables on recycled chairs WRWA’s Education Officer, Jon Long, pointed out what could be recycled and what should go into the general waste black bags. We were fascinated to hear that the England Football Team’s kit was made from recycled bottles before donning high-vis jackets, goggles and plastic hard hats ready for the tour. Jon showed us the whole recycling process from when the lorries dumped the clear plastic bags in a huge pit. This was then taken on conveyor belts and mechanically sorted with the plastic recycling bags being sucked up by huge extractors. The final sorting was done by hand to ensure no clothing entered the process.
Regarding the waste, which cannot be recycled, landfill has now been replaced by Energy from Waste (EfW) combustion as the prime treatment method. Since February 2011, the waste – which is still being transported
by river – is being received at a recently constructed EfW Facility at Belvedere in the London Borough of
Bexley. Here, the waste is incinerated and the heat from the process is used to generate electricity through
steam generation in boilers. Belvedere is the largest EfW Facility in the UK and one of the largest in Europe,
which will eventually generate up to 72MW of power.
It was a fascinating visit and we were delighted to hear our winning cheque was in the post. Visits for residents are available and can be booked on the WRWA website
http://www.wrwa.gov.uk/community/visits-tomrf.aspx.
Chrissie Courtney
Chair
ECSRA