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

The service information presented for the London Borough of Merton was last updated in October 2008. 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

70,000 kerbside households are served by a weekly recycling collection. Materials are sorted at the kerbside into a toploader vehicle. Residents are provided with a green box for:

• glass bottles and jars
• paper

and a purple box for:

• cardboard
• drinks cartons
• mixed cans
• plastic bottles
• yellow pages

Organics

70,000 households have a green garden waste collection service available to them on request. Residents are provided with two clear reusable sacks (additional sacks can be purchased for a cost of £1). All green waste is collected in a normal Refuse Collection Vehicle (RCV).

A 12 month trial food waste collection is underway on 2,000 households in the Ravensbury ward.  Residents in the trial area are provided with a brown wheeled bin and kitchen caddy in which they can put all organic kitchen waste including meat, bones, teabags and coffee grounds.

Dry Recycling

6,000 flats are served by a bring recycling system.  Sites consist of two separate bins, one solely for glass bottles and jars and another bin in which the following materials can be placed:

• cardboard
• drinks cartons
• mixed cans
• paper
• plastic bottles
• yellow pages

Flats Above Shops

As of December 2008 a flats above shops scheme will begin. 547 flats above shops will be served by a weekly or bi-weekly recycling collection. Residents are provided with purple sacks which can be left at the front of the property on the collection day. The following materials are collected co-mingled:

• cardboard
• drinks cartons
• mixed cans
• paper
• plastic bottles
• yellow pages

Household Reuse and Recycling Centre

There are two Reuse and Recycling Centres (RRC) in Merton:

Merton Reuse and Recycling Centre
63-69 Amenity Way
Garth Road, Morden
Surrey
SM4 4NJ

Weir Road Reuse and Recycling Centre
36 Weir Road
Wimbledon
SW19 8UG

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

Bring Banks

There are 26 public bring sites in Merton, collecting the following materials:

• cardboard
• drinks cartons
• glass bottles and jars
• mixed cans
• paper
• plastic bottles

Some sites also accept:

• books
• shoes
• textiles

Home Composting

Merton has been providing subsidised home composters since the early 1990’s although the current scheme in cooperation with WRAP has been underway since 2004 and to date 15,000 have been distributed.  Composters cost £17 (220L compost converter), £20 (330 litre compost converter), £40 (KOMP 250L) and £4 (kitchen caddy). 

Real Nappies

Merton encourages parents to use real nappies as an alternative to disposable. The Kingston and Merton Real Nappy Network (KMRNN) can provide residents with advice. For more information contact the KMRNN:   

Kingston and Merton Real Nappy Network
PO Box 428
New Malden
KT3 9AU

Email: kingstonmertonrnn@yahoo.co.uk

or call: 07949 628 148, 020 8286 0916

Junk mail reduction

Merton encourages residents to register with the Mailing Preference Service (MPS) to reduce the amount of unwanted mail they receive.

For more information visit: www.mpsonline.org.uk

Scrap Store

The Squirrels is a resource centre for educational and community groups. They collect and display donated waste and surplus materials from local businesses, which are then reused by local schools and groups for art and other projects. Schools can subscribe to the Squirrels for £100 for 500 children for a years use of the resource. For more information call: 020 8641 1881

Bulky Waste

Bulky waste can be collected from residents for a charge of £15 for up to 5 items and £3 for each subsequent item. In addition bulky waste can be taken to the Reuse and Recycling Centres.

Schools Recycling

Schools can be provided with three recycling bins for the collection of:

• cans
• cardboard
• glass
• paper
• plastic bottles

The council works in partnership with WRAP to provided schools with three compost bins and ten kitchen caddies. Facilities for the collection of mobile phone recycling, textile and shoe recycling are also available.

Residual Waste

Residual household waste is collected weekly from the kerbside using wheeled bins.

Commercial Waste and Recycling

The council operates commercial waste and recycling collections. Approximately 200 businesses are served by the recycling collection, which collects:

• cardboard
• drinks cartons
• glass bottles and jars
• mixed cans
• paper

Trade waste is also accepted at the Garth Road Reuse and Recycling Centre.

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

Contact Merton Address: Waste Services Environment and Regeneration 63-69 Amenity Way Morden Surrey SM4 4NJ   Tel: 020 8274 4902   Email: esenquiries@merton.gov.uk Recycling Team: Judith Harwood (Environmental Development) Mariana Sadler (Publicity) Rachael Phelan (Schools) Amy Harris (Flats)

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