Snow and missed recycling collections

South Glos Council has announced: 

"Due to the snow and icy conditions on Friday 18 January, there were no household collections of waste or recycling in South Gloucestershire. Residents are asked to take their containers back onto their property and present them on their next scheduled collection day. For food waste this is the following week and for other materials the following fortnight. Reasonable amounts of side waste (waste that won't fit in the bin/box) will be collected"

Meanwhile the Sort-It Centres are closed today (Saturday 19 January) and decisions on opening will be taken on a daily basis.

Fancy being your own boss? Get expert help at Yate Library on 30 January

Find out more about setting up and running your own business at this evening session at Yate Library 6.30 - 9.00 pm on Wednesday 30 January.

You can register by emailing yate.library@southglos.gov.uk or by phoning 01454 868006.

This is a joint event by Sodbury and Yate Business Association and South Gloucestershire Council.

Christmas recycling collections

You can find out when your recycling will be collected over Christmas on the South Glos website.

Share the gift of time

Some older people feel lonely and isolated or need help to get out and about. South Glos Council has funded 5 organisations to help support older people.

You can find out more on the Precious Time website. There's information for residents, potential volunteers and organisations, stories about some of the amazing work already going on and a section where you can pledge an action.

There is also a "Being a Welcoming Organisation" toolkit to help groups welcome and involve older people.

 If you would like more information on volunteering or are in need of support, email precioustime@southglos.gov.uk or call 01454 862356.

Nominations open for community awards

Do you know someone whose work in your community deserves to be recognised? If so, you have until 22nd February to nominate them for a South Gloucestershire Chair's Community Awards. You can find out more on the South Glos website.

Magic your old carpets away - courtesy of South Glos

At the moment around 1600 tonnes of carpets and underlay at Sort It!* Centres has been going gone to landfill each year because there hasn't been a way to do recycle it .

From 14 January however there will be a new carpet recycling service at each of the four Sort It!* Centres at Yate, Mangotsfield, Stoke Gifford and Thornbury, with clearly signed containers.

Collected carpets will be taken away and shredded to use as a sustainable alternative to coal in cement kilns. Even better, there is no waste from this process as the ash is then used as an ingredient in manufacturing the cement. Clever!

Technology is being developed to separate recyclable fibres optically and extract the polypropylene content of the carpets and convert this into a plastic pellet to sell back to the plastic manufacturing industry. 

Duvets, pillows, cushions and cushions from soft furnishings will also be accepted in with the carpets, potentially increasing recycling rates even more. 

The new system should achieve a reduction of 222 tonnes of CO2 each year. Well done South Glos!

Have your say on Police and Crime Plans

For the first time ever there will be a Police & Crime Plan for each of the six policing districts of Avon and Somerset. The views of residents, community groups, businesses and victims of crime are being sought to make sure that the Police and Crime Commissioner and the police are concentrating on the things that matter to local people.

The Police and Crime Plan for Avon and Somerset and the six policing districts of Bristol, North Somerset, Somerset West, Somerset East and South Gloucestershire will set out the vision, aims and objectives for the new PCC Sue Mountstevens' term in office.

You can have your say online or you can call the Commissioner's office on 01275 816377 or email pcc@avonandsomerset.pnn.police.uk for a hard copy of the survey.