Waste collection authority
The Greater Cambridge Shared Waste Service (GCSWS) between South Cambridgeshire District and Cambridge City Council empty residents' bins. This means that we are the waste collection authority. Once collected, our bin lorries drop off recycling and waste at waste transfer stations. This is the case for all 3 of the waste streams that we collect – that is material inside blue, green, and black bins.
Waste disposal authority
Cambridgeshire County Council is the waste disposal authority. This means that Cambridgeshire County Council hold the contract for the onward processing or disposal of food waste, green, and black bin waste.
The waste collection authorities (including Greater Cambridge Shared Waste) within the Recycle for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough partnership jointly procure the contracts for the processing of blue bin recycling materials as part of a strategic partnership. Each waste collection authority then has their own recycling processing contract.
Blue bin (mixed recycling)
Blue bin lorries collect mixed recycling. When the blue bin lorries are full, the mixed recycling is dropped at a transfer station in Waterbeach where it is collected and taken to a sorting plant, called a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) based at Re-GEN Waste, in Newry, Northern Ireland. Re-GEN’s MRF is one of Europe’s most advanced facilities of its type. It runs on 100% renewable energy and features specialist machinery designed by Re-Gen’s experienced engineers.
Once at the MRF, a variety of magnets, eddy currents (reverse magnets), size-sorting equipment and conveyor belts separate the different materials. The materials are then baled and sold to processors who melt, pulp or crush them to make new products. Watch the video below from Re-Gen to follow a metal drinks can progress through the recycling journey to see this process in action.
Items that can be recycled are sent to UK or European processors. Any items that cannot be recycled are baled separately and taken to Warrenpoint Harbour where they are loaded onto a ship and exported by Re-GEN to compliant markets for use as fuel.
The journey undertaken by our recycling is fully tracked in accordance with strict guidance from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and is recorded on the national Waste Data Flow website. Materials are only sent to sites which have a permit to recycle them legally.
Green bin (garden waste)
Garden waste from your green bin is taken to the Thalia Waste Management site at Waterbeach. It goes through an intensive 'in-vessel' composting process in St Ives, Cambridgeshire. The resulting soil conditioner is sold for local agriculture. Householders can also collect soil conditioner free of charge.
Watch RECAP's video below to see how the process works.
Black bin (non-recyclable waste)
Black bin waste which is not recyclable is taken to the Thalia Waste Management site at Waterbeach and sent for disposal in landfill. Find out more information on the Cambridgeshire County Council website.
Food caddy
For those households that have a weekly food waste collection service, the food waste is taken to an Anaerobic Digestion (AD) Plant. This is a separate facility from where garden waste is composted. There are 3 different facilities in or near Cambridgeshire than can be used. These are in Baldock, March or Thetford.
At the AD plant, caddy liners are mechanically removed and used as a fuel to generate energy, and the food is broken down in the treatment process without oxygen present. This creates biogas which is captured to generate electricity. Fertiliser is also produced, which is used in farming.