Big and bulky? - we’ve got it covered

This article is from December 2020. It may contain information that is now out of date or no longer applicable.

We’re taking control of our popular ‘bulky waste’ service from Wednesday 23 December 2020.

The service, which collects white goods and other big, unwanted household items, has been managed by the council and run by an outside contractor in recent years.

However, we’ve decided to totally operate the service which will increase revenue for the council in the long run and help improve our recycling rates.

Residents to benefit from reusable goods

Any goods that can be reused will be made available to residents of Brighton & Hove who are disadvantaged or on low incomes.

The service, which will run from 9am to 5pm Tuesday to Saturday, allows residents to get rid of large household items including furniture like tables and chairs, beds, mattresses, wardrobes and even upright pianos.

We’ll also be collecting electrical and kitchen equipment including washing machines, fridge freezers, cookers and TVs.

50% discounts for some residents

The prices for collecting the goods will remain the same as now, as will the 50 per cent discount for people over 60.

Half price also applies to people receiving income support or Universal Credit; Employment and Support Allowance; Job Seekers Allowance; Incapacity Benefit; or Personal Independence Payment and/or Disability Living Allowance.

Councillor Amy Heley, chair of our environment, transport and sustainability committee, said: “Our bulky waste service is an extremely important part of our overall work to keep the city clean and tidy.

A better service for our residents

“Bringing it in-house means we will be solely responsible for the running of the service and therefore better placed to ensure our residents get the best possible results.

“We can make sure items that can be reused are, while ensure everything else is either recycled properly or disposed of correctly.

“Virtually nothing we collect from the bulky waste service, and in fact our normal waste collections, goes into landfill.”

Residents can still donate items in good condition through reuse sites like Freegle, Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace, and take some goods to our Household Waste Recycling Sites.

You can also download the ZeroNet app from Tech-Takeback to get your electrical items collected from your home.

Never leave items on the street or pavement

We’re still telling people not to leave items on the pavement or by communal bins, even if offering them for free. This is fly-tipping, which is a criminal offence.

The new service starts taking bookings from 9am – 5pm on Wednesday 23 December with collections beginning on Tuesday 5 January.

Booking can be made by calling 01273 290798. More information can be found on our bulky waste webpage.

The contract for the current service, run by KSD Environmental Services, finishes on Thursday 24 December.

Bulky waste is now part of our overall collection services. They include refuse and recycling, street cleaning, garden waste and trade waste.

They are all part of our work to Keep Brighton & Hove Tidy.