• Kerbside Recycling
• Flat Recycling
• Bring Recycling
• Waste Minimisation
• Other Services
• Contact Information and Links

The service information presented for the London Borough of Havering was last updated in January 2009. Information was verified by borough contacts. The authors of this website are not responsible for any errors or omissions. Data relating to targets and performance is taken from Defra's Environment statistics.

Dry recycling

Havering provides a weekly kerbside collection of: 

• card (thin card packaging only, not cardboard)
• mixed cans
• paper
• plastic bottles

to all 98,732 households in the borough using orange survival sacks. Survival sacks are collected in the same vehicle as normal refuse, but because survival sacks are made of tougher plastic than refuse sacks they don’t split when compacted and can be separated from refuse sacks at the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF). Recyclable materials are sorted at the MRF before being sent to be processed into new products. Using survival sacks means refuse and recycling are collected on the same day and roads are not congested with vehicles. Sacks are delivered to residents every three months, additional sacks are available from libraries.

Recycling Trial

Havering is currently running a trial that covers 25, 000 of the 97,000 odd households in the Borough. Orange recycling sacks are collected separately from the refuse sacks, which are continued to be collected in a standard RCV. Recycling is collected by a split-bodied RCV.

Along with the normal materials, the borough collects corrugated cardboard, in the separate compartment of the vehicle. Another compartment is used for alternate fortnightly collections of textiles (in textile sacks provided) and of garden waste (in pre-paid Havering Council sacks).

Organics

13, 800 households are served by a green garden waste collection. The scheme operates on a fortnightly basis, all year (1st April - 31st March). Residents wishing to participate can hire a 240 litre green wheeled bin for a cost of £31 per scheme year or £24.85 with concessions. On the 1^st April 2009, the cost of subscription to the scheme will increase to £32 per scheme year 2009/2010 and £25.60 for concessions. Contact the call centre on 01708 432563 and pay with debit card or return a sign-up form with a cheque. This is a pilot scheme and is running in eight wards: Upminster, Cranham, Elm Park, Hylands, Hacton, Squirrels Heath, St Andrews and Emerson Park. All the green waste collected is taken for composting.

The green sack scheme still operates for the whole borough at a cost of £4.20 for five sacks. Although this is collected with normal refuse and sent for landfill.

Dry Recycling

All estate households are served by a recycling collection, from the communal bin area (as with refuse). 

Materials collected, co-mingled in the orange sacks include:

• Thin card
• Mixed cans
• Paper
• Plastic bottles

Reuse and Recycling Centre

There is one Reuse and Recycling Centre (RRC) in Havering:

Gerpins Lane Reuse and Recycling Centre
Gerpins Lane
Upminster
RM14 2XR

Click here for a list of materials accepted at the RRC.

Bring Banks

The borough has a network of 55 bring sites, collecting:

• drinks cartons
• glass bottles and jars
• mixed cans
• paper
• plastic bottles
• shoes
• textiles  

Materials are collected in modular and 1100 litre banks. Books are also accepted at a couple of sites, although these are owned by Oxfam and not the Council.

Home Composting

The London Borough of Havering offers residents composters for £8 (220 litre), £10 (330 litre), £40 (250 litre KOMP) and £4 (kitchen caddy). So far 6,949 have been sold in the borough.

Junk Mail Reduction

The borough promotes the Mail Preference Service to residents as a way of reducing the amount of junk mail they receive. For more information visit www.mpsonline.org.uk.

Waste Exchange

Havering Freecycle is a website dedicated to allowing Havering residents to exchange unwanted items, preventing them from going to landfill.  For more information visit: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Havering_freecycle/

Bulky Waste 

The Council provides a collection service for fridges and freezers, please call the Streetcare Team on 0170 843 2563 to arrange a collection and confirm charges. The CFCs are removed and the shells sent for scrap metal.

Residents can have their bulky items, such as chairs, settees, beds and cookers collected by Havering’s bulky household collection service. Please call the Streetcare Team on 0170 843 2563 to arrange a collection and confirm charges or visit http://www.havering.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=709

Residual Waste

Residual household waste is collected weekly from the kerbside using refuse sacks.

Commercial Waste and Recycling

Havering operates a weekly cardboard recycling collection service at a charge. Havering also operates a commercial waste collection for businesses and accepts commercial waste at the Reuse and Recycling Centre.

Find out more about recycling in your area Visit Recycle for London
Compare Havering's recycling services with the rest of London	View the Borough Service Summary Table
Find out more about the London Borough of Havering

Contact Havering Address: Streetcare 6th Floor, Mercury House Mercury Garden Romford RM1 3SL Tel: 01708 432 563   Email: streetcare@havering.gov.uk

Click here to view the summary report on the state of the environment in the London Borough of Havering prepared by the Environment Agency.