Until recent years everything we put out for the household ‘rubbish’ collection was usually tipped in old quarries or used to raise the level of low-lying land. These ‘landfill’ sites are becoming hard to find and costly to reach (there are none in Monmouthshire – let’s keep it that way), the decaying rubbish is generating methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times worse than carbon dioxide, and the ground, water and air is often being polluted in other ways. Furthermore, vast amounts of useful material are being wasted – ‘rubbish’ is more rightly termed ‘waste’ and that should be minimal. St Arvans and North Abergavenny aim to be the county's first 'zero waste' communities. Useful websites are:

www.wasteonline.org.uk
www.recyclenow.com
www.wasteawarenesswales.org.uk
www.wastedirectory.org.uk (for businesses)
www.wen.org.uk (nappies etc)

Waste Reduction Targets

The Government now expects 40% (by weight) to be recycled by 2010, and 65% of biodegradable waste to be diverted from landfill by 2020, and council tax payers will have to fund penalties if their area fails to meet these targets. Monmouthshire is currently on target for doing so, having trebled its performance in a few years, but relies heavily on your help.  Material not recycled will still have to go to landfill (perhaps much reduced in bulk, possibly by controversial incineration). 

Our first aim must be to reduce waste (e.g. buying less, avoiding food waste, hiring or borrowing rather than buying, using libraries, avoiding packaging and disposable items, registering with www.mpsonline.org.uk to minimise junk mail). 

Reusing

Reusing things (e.g. by avoiding throwaway items, by taking things to charity shops, using rechargeable batteries, selling via Ebay, newspaper or newsagent ads, offering toys to playgroups, reusing blank scrap paper, laundering cotton nappies, using returnable milk bottles, reusing shopping bags and containers – buy refills, reusing plastic ice cream cartons as food containers), or repairing rather than buying new (often easier said than done today, but there are options – e.g. furniture, cookers and washing machines via Homemakers, a local community organisation) are good options. The Freecycle network, www.dontdumpthat.com,  www.ecyclebin.com or www.swapxchange.org  may be able to help you find a home for almost anything.

Recycling

Recycling (often the easiest, though it may involve more energy-consuming operations – composting involves little) also adds to the useful life of the material before it becomes ‘waste’. The emphasis is on reducing greenhouse gases such as methane generated by landfill sites, so recycling opportunities concentrate on green waste, card and food waste collection. Plastic bottles make up only 2% of the overall weight and recycling opportunities are less well developed. Monmouthshire’s towns and many villages now have a Black Box collection scheme for recycling paper, clean glass (bottles and jars), clean (preferably squashed) cans and foil, clothing, shoes and textiles (each separately bagged), operated by Monmouthshire Community Recycling, a not-for-profit organisation supported by the County Council and other organisations.  Recycling an aluminium can saves enough energy to run your TV for three hours; recycling a glass bottle saves enough for 15 minutes.

Much of the county is also served by the WormTech green waste collection of garden waste, plants and flowers, cardboard and paper, wood waste, soiled hay and sawdust. This is composted and processed by worms into rich soil conditioner now available on the A48 east of Penhow and from McDonalds Nursery, Llanfoist - bring your own bags at present. Single use starch bags are issued free of charge and reuseable Wormtech green bags (£1 each) are available from Richards (Abergavenny), Washbournes Home Hardware (Caldicot), Brian’s Hardware (Chepstow), Handyman House (Monmouth) and H + R (Usk).

You can make your own compost to enrich your garden (free and no need to buy fertiliser and peat-based products – peat is a threatened natural habitat). Up to two-thirds of your waste could be composted, including much kitchen and garden waste, paper and cardboard. You don’t have to have a container – a waterproofed heap will do – but it is tidier and better to build your own container (reusing timber, etc.) or take advantage of the Council’s reduced price offer by contacting your One Stop Shop. The Council also distributes a useful guide to composting produced with support from Chepstow Friends of the Earth. See also our Gardening section.

Householders not served by, or missing, the collection services can also take waste material to Civic Amenity Sites or Recycling Centres.

But don’t spoil the benefits by making a one-purpose car trip. You can help the market for recycled products by choosing them when shopping.

An A - Z to some common waste problems

Aerosol cans: No longer use CFCs but may still do some damage to the ozone layer (increasing our danger of skin cancer) – try to use pump action dispensers.

Asbestos: May be very dangerous – use specialist contractors or the County Council (charge).

Batteries: Take car batteries to one of the Civic Amenity Sites for recycling. There are no local facilities for recycling household batteries (Caerphilly is testing a kerbside collection) - use rechargeable batteries if possible. Kerbside collections of household batteries for recycling are being trialled in some parts of the UK, but not Monmouthshire (www.wrap.org.uk/materials/batteries)

Building materials: Only a maximum of two black bags full of DIY waste can be taken to Civic Amenity Sites. More than this can be taken to the Llanfoist or Five Lanes sites where it can be weighed and paid for. Otherwise use skip hire companies (check that they are licensed to dispose of waste) or, if in good condition or of architectural interest, salvage merchants.

Business or commercial waste: Contact the Council on 01600 712354. Envirowise offers advice to small businesses.

Cars and other Vehicles: May have scrap value with dealers in Yellow Pages. Report any abandoned or burnt out vehicles to your One Stop Shop.  More Council information is also available here.

Christmas trees: Can be collected as part of your green waste collection if you have one, or can be recycled for compost at Caerwent, Llanfoist or Troy Civic Amenity Sites. Why not have a small potted tree to bring in and use year after year?

Cookers, fridges, freezers, washing machines, furniture and other bulky items: If you cannot repair and/or sell them or arrange reuse (e.g. via Homemakers), for a small charge (£7 minimum) the Council will collect - contact your One Stop Shop. Or you can arrange delivery to your Civic Amenity Site (those at Mitchel Troy and Usk can take refrigerators, TVs etc but not larger items such as washing machines or cookers). It is essential that damaging CFC gases are removed from fridges and freezers by experts – keep them upright.

Computers: Homemakers will check and resell donated working computers less than four years old. Otherwise deliver to your Civic Amenity Site.

Electric and Electronic Items: From 1 July 2007 these should not be placed in your bin - they may be taken to Civic Amenity Sites (not washing machines or cookers at Mitchel Troy or Usk) or collected by arrangement with your One Stop Shop.  Retailers or manufacturers are intended to be responsible for recycling these items - for more guidance click here.

Flowerpots (plastic): Check whether your local garden centre will re-use these.

Fly tipping: Report to the Council’s Waste and Cleansing - 01633 644126 – needles and syringes will be removed without delay.

Household chemicals, paints, etc: Never pour them down the drain – check the manufacturer’s instructions. Small amounts of many weak household products may be put out for the refuse collection, but paint, varnish, stronger chemicals, etc should be taken to a Civic Amenity Site.

Litter: Report to the Council’s Environmental Health (email) section, giving clear details of the location.

Medication: Return unused pills and medicines to your pharmacy – don’t flush them down the loo.

Metals: Take to your Civic Amenity Site.

Mobile phones: These contain many toxic substances but many charities such as Oxfam now accept them for recycling, or you can usually return them to the shop where they were purchased.

Nappies: Disposable nappies contribute greatly to landfill problems, so reusing real cotton nappies reduces waste (and saves money). For advice, support and possibly incentives ring 01633 644119.

Oil: Take used engine oil to a Civic Amenity Site – putting this down the drain or dumping it is very polluting and could lead to a heavy fine. Small amounts of cooking oil or fat are acceptable in your refuse collection – but in winter why not mix fat, bread and fruit or nuts and hang out for birds to feed on?

Plastics: Plastic bottles can be taken to Civic Amenity Sites or a few Council Recycling Centres - to avoid overflowing please wash and squash the bottles, before placing them in containers.

Printer ink cartridges: A local company collects inkjet cartridges (not Epson) for refilling and resale on behalf of Oxfam and Cancer Research.

Sanitary items: Never flush them down the toilet – they may end up on beaches. Use the rubbish collection.

Tetra Paks and other beverage cartons: There are now collection bins at Fairfield Car Park, Abergavenny; Little Mill and Pandy Village Halls; Queenshill Garages, Dingestow, Monmouth; Severn Bridge Social Club, Bulwark, Chepstow; Withy Close, Magor. 

Tools: Tools for Self-Reliance repair traditional non-electric hand tools for use in third world countries.

Tyres: Your new tyre supplier should dispose of your old ones. Never burn old tyres. When buying, remember that today’s retreads are safe.

For more advice contact the County Council’s Recycling Team by phone (01633 644897) or email.

Finally, there is the question of how we want ourselves disposed of after our death. Cremation is now frowned upon, causing pollution and climate change, and burial in churchyards and cemeteries consumes precious space. Monmouthshire now has a Green Burial Ground in open countryside adjoining native woodland near Usk. Low impact coffins of willow, cardboard, unvarnished wood or even hardened paper may be specified for any funeral.